3 New Offshore Wind Energy Schemes in the Irish Sea Announced

NW Coastal Forum

The Crown Estate has announced that Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 Agreements for Lease signing concluded in January 2023. Three of the six leases agreed are in the Irish Sea (the others being in the North Sea). The combined capacity of the 6 is around 8 GW being produced by the end of the decade. […]

Research report on marine debris pathways for non-native species into UK waters

NW Coastal Forum

Scientists from CEFAS – the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science – have published pioneering research modelling how non-native species can be transported across the ocean on floating marine debris. They used a novel modelling approach, adapting a computer model originally designed to predict the distribution of oil following an oil spill, to uncover […]

Government to ban the supply of unnecessary single-use plastic items

NW Coastal Forum

In November 2021, Defra launched a consultation on proposals to ban the supply of single-use plastic plates, cutlery, and balloon sticks and expanded and extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers. The consultation took place as part of the 25 Year Environment Plan ambition to  eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042. The responses have now been […]

2022 Bathing Water Results

NW Coastal Forum

Defra has announced the 2022 bathing water results. The results summarise the compliance of coastal and inland designated bathing waters for England in 2022.  In summary 97.1% met at least the minimum Bathing Water standard, and 72.1% met the ‘excellent’ standard, however 2.9% did not meet the minimum standard for bathing and are classed as […]

Marine Strategy Part Two: UK updated monitoring programmes

NW Coastal Forum

The Government has published the Marine Strategy Part Two: Updated Monitoring Progammes. The strategy sets out how the UK will move towards Good Environmental Status (GES) in our seas over the next 6 years and covers, as well as the updated monitoring programmes, the progress made since 2014 when the last monitoring programme was published. […]

Marine Wildlife Bycatch Mitigation Initiative

NW Coastal Forum

Defra has published a policy paper setting out its ambitions and a series of actions to reduce and, where possible, eliminate accidental capture and entanglement of sensitive marine species in fishing gear in UK waters. Sensitive marine species include seabirds, cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), and sharks, skates and rays. Bycatch monitoring programmes in the […]