International News

Irish Sea Maritime Forum Conference – MSP in the Irish Sea: Where are we now? Change of date to 7th October 2022

IMPORTANT UPDATE: In light of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and as a mark of respect to the National Mourning period of the UK, it has been decided by the ISMF Committee to postpone the virtual conference, which was due to take place on 15th September, until Friday 7th October 10.00 – 13.00. 

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Historic UNEP Resolution: ‘End Plastic Pollution: Towards an internationally legally binding instrument’

A historic resolution was reached at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi on 2nd March. Representatives from  175 nations endorsed a resolution to end plastic pollution and create an international legally binding agreement by 2024. The resolution addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including production, design and disposal. As well as climate change implications and

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The Future and Changing Context of the Irish Sea in the 2020s

Over the summer of 2020 the Irish Sea Maritime Forum, supported by the University of Liverpool, conducted an online survey to develop a comprehensive picture of the future for the Irish Sea and its communities on a whole Irish Sea scale.  The aim of the survey was to discover and extend understanding of what makes

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Breaking the Plastic Wave – A Comprehensive Assessment of Pathways Towards Stopping Ocean Plastic Pollution

The Pew Charitable Trusts have published a report which presents a global analysis of plastic flows into the ocean now and in the future and a pathway towards collectively solving plastic pollution. The report was prepared by The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ, working with a panel of 17 global experts, the University of Oxford,

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Best Practice on Reducing the Amount of Fishing Gear Littering the NE Atlantic

OSPAR has published a scoping study on best practices for the design and recycling of fishing gear as a means to reduce quantities of fishing gear found as marine litter in the North East Atlantic. Both unintentional and intentional loss of fishing gear at sea result in marine litter and negative environmental impacts. The study

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The Irish Sea in the 2020s – Survey – closed

This survey is now closed.    The Irish Sea Maritime Forum, supported by the University of Liverpool, is conducting an Irish-sea wide survey to look to the future and the changing context of the Irish Sea in the 2020s. The aim is to develop a comprehensive picture of the future for the Irish Sea and

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Irish Sea Maritime Forum Biennial Conference 2019, Cardiff, 15 January

Book by Friday 11th January – some places still available at this free  conference which considers marine planning, marine protected areas and climate change at an Irish Sea-wide scale. The aim of the event is to bring together stakeholders from across the Irish Seas to to learn about issues of current and shared interest and

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Irish Sea Maritime Forum Summer 2018 Newsletter

The Irish Sea Maritime Forum has published a newsletter for Summer 2018. This includes updates on: The continuing role of Senator Gerry Horkan as ISMF Chairman The Future Celtic Seas Collaboration workshop which took place last year and follow-up activities, such as the ISMF Key Stakeholder Review European Maritime and Fisheries Funding (EMFF) applications The

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UK Joins the Coral Reef Life Declaration

Environment Minister, Thérèse Coffey, announced on the 9th April that the UK has joined 12 other signatories to the Coral Reef Life Declaration. The Coral Reef Life Declaration was launched by Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Our Ocean conference in Malta in October 2017 with the aim of encouraging countries to come together to protect coral

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Maritime Spatial Planning: Transboundary Co-operation in the Celtic Seas – SIMCelt closing conference 28 &29 November, Liverpool

SIMCelt – Supporting Implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in the Celtic Seas – is a 2 year project running to December 2017 co-funded by the EU Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. It aims to promote practical cross-border cooperation between Member States on the implementation of the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive in OSPSAR Region III:

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