From October 1st 2020 a ban on the supply of plastic straws and stirrers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds, has come into force in England. It has been estimated that 4.7 billion plastic straws, 316 million plastic stirrers and 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds are used each year and many of these end up in the […]

Natural England has published its priorities for nature recovery for the period 2020 to 2025. They will achieve the aims outlined in the document through 4 strategic programmes: • Resilient Landscapes and Seas • Sustainable Development • Greener Farming and Fisheries • Connecting People with Nature The document explains how Natural England will work with […]

Closes midnight, Wednesday 2nd December 2020. Natural England has submitted a report to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs setting out the proposals for improved access to the coast between Cleveleys, Wyre and Pier Head, Liverpool. There is now an opportunity to make representations on, or objections to the proposals; the […]

Closed 15th December 2020 The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is asking stakeholders in the north west of England to take part in the annual monitoring survey to gather baseline information on the draft North West Marine Plan. This is the first time the MMO has run the survey in the north west and they will […]

Voting closed 12 noon, Thursday 22nd October. Morecambe Bay Partnership has entered a competition being run by the European Outdoor Conservation Association and urgently needs your vote to ensure success. Morecambe Bay Partnership’s Chief Executive Susannah Bleakley said “We have just 1 week to get 1000’s of votes to  turn the tide on plastic. We are the […]

Closed 23:45, 17th November 2020 Defra, the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government are seeking views on the updated marine monitoring programmes for the state of the UK’s seas. The proposed monitoring programmes will be used to gather evidence on the status of different parts of the UK marine environment to […]

Closed 1st November 2020 The Welsh Government is consulting on proposals to introduce: an authorisation scheme for licenced and registered UK vessels fishing for whelks (Buccinum undatum) with pots in the Welsh zone an annual limit on the total amount of whelk that can be taken from the Welsh zone a flexible monthly landing cap […]

Natural England has released information on the progress of coastal access in North West England. They hope to publish proposals for the Cleveleys to Pier Head stretch in August. Cumbria County Council and their contractors have been making progress where they can with establishment works on the Whitehaven to Silecroft stretch. The planning inspector is […]

The Environment Agency has published a strategy setting out a vision of a nation ready for, and resilient to, flooding and coastal change – today, tomorrow and to the year 2100. It sits alongside the Government’s policy statement on flood and coastal erosion risk management (see separate news item). The National FCERM Strategy sets out […]

This policy statement sets out the Government’s policy on flood and coastal erosion risk management and their long-term ambition to create a nation more resilient to future flood and coastal erosion risk. It forms part of their wider commitment to tackle climate change. It has been informed by the Environment Agency’s consultation exercise on the […]