Tag Archives: defra

North West Marine Plans Adopted!

The UK Government has, today (23rd June) formally adopted the marine plans for the North West, North East, South West and South East of England. The marine plans have been produced by the Marine Management Organisation on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.   Accompanying each of the

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Government Response to the Highly Protected Marine Areas Review

The Government has – on 8th June 2021 – published its response to the Highly Protected Marine Areas Review which they had previously commissioned former Environment and Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon to undertake to examine whether and how the strongest protections for areas of sea, known as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), could be introduced. 

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Closed – consultation: Introduction of a deposit return scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Consultation close: 11:45pm on 4 June 2021 The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is carrying out a second consultation on proposals for a deposit return scheme (DRS) on drinks containers.  The aim of a DRS would be to help change behaviour and encourage recycling / reduce littering. DEFRA is seeking views on:

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English and Welsh Bathing Waters Classifications 2020

England: Defra normally releases updated Bathing Water Classifications in November each year, however the 2020 results have not been published due to the pandemic affecting the amount of sampling that could take place. Defra’s press release states: “This is due to the severe impacts on bathing water monitoring and analysis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic

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Closed – call for evidence: Seafood and Meat Exports to the EU: EFRA Committee Inquiry

Closes Friday 19th February 2021 Since Brexit there has been a range of disruption, delays and, in the case of some products such as shellfish from Class B waters, complete cessation of trade between the UK and the EU. The EFRA Select Committee has launched an inquiry seeking both evidence from those affected by the

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Benyon Review Into Highly Protected Marine Areas: final report published

On World Ocean Day 2019, the then Defra Secretary of State, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, launched an  independent review on Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in the waters for which the Secretary of State has responsibility: the English inshore and offshore and Northern Ireland offshore zones. The review was led by former Environment and

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Marine Strategy Part One: UK Updated Assessment and Good Environmental Status and a Summary of Responses October 2019

As a result of the consultation which took place earlier this summer Defra has, in October 2019, published an updated Marine Strategy Part One: UK Updated Assessment and Good Environmental Status report and a separate report summarising the responses to the consultation. This consultation marked the start of the 2nd implementation cycle of the UK

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Events: Helping the UK Seafood Sector be Ready for Brexit

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in partnership with Seafish and the Marine Management Organisation, is hosting a series of events across England to help seafood traders, processors and businesses prepare for Brexit by understanding the changes that lie ahead. These events are open to people and businesses involved in the processing and

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Government announces completion of UK ‘Blue Belt’

Defra has announced the designation of the third tranche of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). The latest designations of 41 new MCZs brings the overall total of MCZs in English waters to 91. In addition, new features have been added to 12 existing MCZs. The Government has announced that this essentially completes the UK ‘Blue Belt’

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Flood scheme boost with £36m of funding

On 27 March Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey announced the 25 new schemes to receive a share of £36 million  to improve flood protection announced in last year’s Autumn Statement. £33.8 million will be allocated to the 25 schemes over the next three years, in addition to a £2.2 millionalready allocated to 13 projects in Cumbria and

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