INDEX
CONSULTATIONS
CONSULTATION OUTCOMES
UK NEWS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
PROJECTS & RESEARCH
PUBLICATIONS
REPORTS FROM EVENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
CONSULTATIONS
Marine Planning Iteration 3 Update – February 2019
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Marine Planning Iteration 3 engagement is an opportunity for stakeholders to comment on the preferred draft policies produced as part of the marine planning process in the North East, South East, North West and South West areas.
Iteration 3 online engagement is open until 29 March 2019. This is the most comprehensive way to view and provide comments.
Read more here
Measuring environmental change – draft indicators framework for the 25 Year Environment Plan
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Draft for discussion (December 2018)
Extract from summary:
The government launched the 25 Year Environment Plan in January 2018 and the Draft Environment Bill will make it a statutory duty for the Secretary of State to have such a plan for improving the natural environment. A key commitment in the plan was to engage widely as we develop a comprehensive set of indicators, which collectively describes environmental change as it relates to the ten goals in the 25 Year Environment Plan. Additionally the Draft Environment Bill requires the Secretary of State to obtain relevant data to monitor whether the environment or aspects of it are improving in accordance with the plan. This document sets out a draft framework of indicators for the 25 Year Environment Plan as the basis for wider discussions with experts and stakeholders. Defra are seeking views on the framework as well as the specific indicators proposed. (NB Consultation now closed.)
Read the document here
Improving our management of water in the environment
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Defra want to know what you think about their proposals for improving long-term planning of water resources and drainage. They are also asking about their proposals to modernise water regulation. These include:
Defra also wants to begin discussions around raising funds to deal with flooding and coastal erosion.
This consultation closed on 12 March 2019.
Read more here
CONSULTATION OUTCOMES
Environment – developing environmental principles and accountability
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Consultation description: Defra want to know what you think about plans to create a new independent environmental watchdog. What functions and powers should the watchdog have to oversee environmental law and policy? They are also seeking views on what environmental principles they should apply in England to guide and shape environmental law and policy making.
Defra received 176,746 responses to this consultation. The draft Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill 2018 was published on 19 December 2018.
Read more here
Fisheries white paper – sustainable fisheries for future generations
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Consultation description: Leaving the European Union provides an opportunity to move away from the Common Fisheries Policy, to create sustainable, responsible and responsive policies. Defra want to know your thoughts on the future of fisheries.
Some of the proposals outlined in this paper will apply to the whole of the UK, while some apply to England only.
Read more here
UK NEWS
New for newts: better for wildlife, business and people
(Posted 12 March 2019)
An innovative approach by Natural England to protect great crested newts and encourage sustainable development has recently been launched in Kent.
Developers in Kent can now apply for a licence under District Level Licensing for great crested newts (GCN). It follows Defra’s announcement of a nationwide roll-out of great crested newt District Level Licensing in 2017.
GCNs are widely distributed throughout lowland England. However, the species has suffered enormous declines, with approximately 50% of ponds in the UK lost in the 20th century and 80% of current ponds in a poor state. The current licensing system is focused on management to prevent harm on individual development sites rather than addressing the wider health of GCN populations. This new approach seeks to redress this balance, encouraging targeted efforts towards provision of GCN habitat in areas where surveys show it will most effectively connect and expand GCN populations. This new approach will increase GCN populations at a county level. It will also reduce delays for developers.
Read more here
Great crested newts: district level licensing schemes
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Apply to join a district level licensing scheme in certain parts of England to manage great crested newt (GCN) populations affected by development proposals. Natural England and NatureSpace Partnership run separate district level licensing schemes in certain parts of England to manage great crested newt populations on behalf of local authorities.
Benefits of joining a scheme
If you join a scheme, you do not need to:
Note: You need to pay to join a scheme.
Access the guidance here
From source to sea: Salmon & Trout Conservation unite with Marine Conservation Society to highlight plastic’s destructive journey
(Posted 12 March 2019)
S&TC have teamed up with the Marine Conservation Society to highlight the issue, as they start to build a campaign which aims to educate on, and ultimately tackle, the enormous plastic problem our wild fish are facing.
Read more here: https://www.salmon-trout.org/2019/02/04/plastic-pollution/
Fine to Flush – a major new development in the fight against fatbergs
(Posted 12 March 2019)
The fight against fatbergs has received a major boost with the publication of a new official standard identifying which wet wipes can be flushed down toilets safely. Manufacturers of wipes will be able to feature an official water industry ‘Fine to Flush’ symbol on their packaging if they pass strict scientific tests. This symbol will let consumers know that the products don’t contain plastic and will break down in the sewer system instead of clogging up sewers and contributing to fatbergs which cause blockages and sewage overflows.
Fatbergs – mainly caused by a build-up of wet wipes, fats, oils and grease into a solid mass – have been increasing in frequency in recent years. In 2017 the biggest ever in-depth investigation of sewer blockages in the UK proved that wipes being flushed down toilets caused serious problems in the sewerage system. The project found that non-flushable wet wipes could make up around 93% of the material causing some sewer blockages. These wipes – which included a high proportion of baby wipes – are not designed to be flushed.
Manufacturers can have their wipes tested by WRc, who developed the specifications for flushability standards in conjunction with Water UK. If they pass the tests, the wipes manufacturers will receive the ‘Fine to Flush’ symbol from WRc.
There are approximately 300,000 sewer blockages annually, costing the country £100 million. Thousands of properties suffer sewer flooding caused by these blockages every year in the UK, creating misery for homeowners and businesses and leading to high clean-up bills and increased insurance costs. Sewer flooding also has a major impact on the environment.
Read more here: https://www.water.org.uk/news-item/fine-to-flush-a-major-new-development-in-the-fight-against-fatbergs/
New environment protections set out in flagship bill
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Draft clauses for the first Environment Bill for 20 years have been published. The Environment Bill will be an essential step to put environmental ambition and accountability at the heart of government. It will create a new framework for environmental governance.
It builds on one of the largest responses to a Defra consultation on the requirements for this draft legislation. The level of public interest in the Environment Bill is clearly demonstrated through the 176,746 responses.
The Environment Bill will include legislative measures to take direct action to address air quality; the protection and enhancement of our landscapes, wildlife and habitats; more efficient handling of resources and waste, and better management of our surface, ground and waste water. The core elements published in the draft clauses are: Environmental principles, the Office for Environmental Protection, 25 Year Environment Plan.
Currently environmental decisions made in the UK – from improving air and water quality to protecting endangered species – are overseen by the European Commission and underpinned by a number of these principles, such as the precautionary principle, sustainable development and the ‘polluter pays’ principle. While these principles are already central to government environmental policy, they are not set out in one place besides the EU treaties.
Read more here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-environment-protections-set-out-in-flagship-bill--2
Environment Agency announces new national salmon and sea trout byelaws
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Environment Agency introduce restrictions on fishing in England in response to the international decline in migratory salmon stocks. The byelaws will become law and come into force on 1 January 2019.
The Environment Agency is introducing these restrictions on fishing in England in response to the international decline in migratory salmon stocks. Salmon stock numbers are currently among the lowest on record and are below sustainable levels in many rivers. The new byelaws come into force following an Environment Agency consultation, which sought views on how to better manage salmon fishing in England and the Border Esk.
Reducing the taking of salmon by rods and nets is only one part of the Environment Agency’s larger programme to protect salmon stocks. Actions taken by the Environment Agency and its partners that contribute to protecting salmon stocks include removing barriers, improving water quality and agricultural practices, and addressing unsustainable water abstractions.
Regulatory measures to tackle agricultural pollution to be introduced in Wales
(Posted 12 March 2019)
The regulations will come into force in January 2020 with transitional periods for some elements to allow farmers time to adapt and ensure compliance.
The regulations will include the following measures:
There are already reports of poor practices being carried out in unsuitable weather conditions this winter, with the number of incidents this year already exceeding last year.
Holyrood Committee releases their findings on the impact of salmon farming
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Urgent action needs to be taken to improve the regulation of the Scottish salmon farming industry and to address fish health and environmental challenges, a Holyrood Committee has concluded.
Following its in-depth inquiry into salmon farming in Scotland, the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee has determined that, if the industry is to expand, there is a need to introduce enhanced and more effective regulatory standards to ensure that fish health issues are properly managed and the impact on the environment is kept to an absolute minimum.
Read more here
What is the Landing Obligation?
(Posted 12 March 2019)
The Landing Obligation means that certain catches of fish are no longer allowed to be discarded at sea; it is the correct term for the ‘discard ban’. The full Landing Obligation came into force on 1 January 2019. In this blog, the Marine Management Organisation answer some common questions about it, including:
Read more here
Network Rail partners with water firms to tackle chemical contamination
(Posted 12 March 2019)
After launching a scheme to ensure that chemical pollutants did not enter waterways across Greater London and the Thames Valley in 1990, Network Rail has this week expanded the scheme to cover all water companies across England and Wales.
Under the programme, eight ‘spray trains’ are sent along hundreds of miles of track every night, distributing ‘eco-friendly’ herbicides and de-icers in order to keep tracks clear of weeds and ice. This process, National Rail claims, is essential for ensuring that activities such as inspections and construction can be carried out safely across its 50,000-hectare estate.
The scheme has received backing from Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales as well as Water UK, the industry body for water utilities, which represents 29 of the UK’s largest firms in this sector. The update from Network Rail and Thames Water comes at a time when the water utility is planning to invest an additional £1.1 bn in its environmental stewardship activities between 2020 and 2025.
Part of this funding will be used to create a ‘multi-pronged’ Smarter Water Catchments initiative, which aims to improve drinking water quality across six water catchments in London and the South East. Under the programme, catchment management procedures will be updated to better account for factors such as flood risk, pollution and water security. Thames Water expects this funding to help it achieve an 18% reduction in pollution across its entire network.
Read more here
Environmental charities receive over £2.2 million from businesses which broke environmental laws
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Companies and individuals will make the payments for environmental offences including pollution of rivers or the sea, not meeting permit conditions, or not taking reasonable steps to recover packaging waste.
A total of 15 charities and projects will benefit from £2.2 M, with the money to be spent by local groups on projects that benefit the environment including cleaning up and enhancing parks, rivers and beaches. The latest list includes financial contributions, via Enforcement Undertakings, from Wessex Water, United Utilities, Yorkshire Water, Northumbrian Water, Carlsberg, Tesco Distribution Ltd, and Angel Springs Holdings Limited.
As well as making a payment to an appropriate charity or project, these companies have accepted liability, demonstrated restoration of harm and will make improvements to avoid future offences.
The Environment Agency is increasingly using enforcement undertakings for suitable cases to restore or enhance the environment, improve practices of the offending business, and ensure future compliance with environmental requirements. However, prosecutions will still be taken, particularly in the most serious cases.
Read more here
Yorkshire Water turns to tiny mite in the fight against invasive weeds
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Yorkshire Water is stepping up the fight against one of the UK’s most invasive non-native aquatic weeds by working with CABI scientists to release an army of mites to suppress the weeds.
Approval has been given for the release of a novel biological control agent – the mite, Aculus crassulae – at Gouthwaite reservoir in Nidderdale, to assess its ability to suppress Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii). This follows carefully controlled laboratory testing to ensure the safe, controlled release of the mite in the UK.
The weed was introduced to the UK in the early 1900s as a decorative garden pond plant, but is no longer considered attractive due to its impact on native biodiversity. The plant can form dense mats in still and slow moving water bodies, dominating sensitive aquatic environments and threatening native plants and invertebrates. It can also exacerbate flood risk as well as clogging pipes and intakes.
It is hoped that the release of the mites, as part of research commissioned by Defra, will help to reduce the spread of Crassula helmsii in water bodies and areas of high conservation status. The research aims to serve the Water Framework Directive requirements of ensuring that European waterways reach a ‘good ecological status’ through the management of invasive species.
Restrictions on the use of metaldehyde to protect wildlife
(Posted 12 March 2019)
A ban on the outdoor use of metaldehyde, a pesticide used to control slugs in a range of crops and in gardens, is to be introduced across Great Britain from spring 2020. The decision to prohibit the use of metaldehyde, except in permanent greenhouses, follows advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that metaldehyde poses an unacceptable risk to birds and mammals.
Slugs can cause significant damage to plants and crops, particularly potatoes, cereals and oil seed rape. However, there are other ways to mitigate their impact through soil preparation. For example, sowing the seed deeper into the soil may prevent the slugs from reaching them. There are also alternative pesticides containing ferric phosphate which provide effective control of slugs and snails without carrying the same risks to wildlife.
The outdoor use of metaldehyde will be phased out over 18 months to give growers time to adjust to other methods of slug control. The new restrictions on metaldehyde will also reduce the possibility of the pesticide contaminating drinking water sources.
Read more here
Report floating pennywort this winter
(Posted 12 March 2019)
The Environment Agency issued this reminder after it removed 1,000 tonnes of the highly invasive species from the Anglian region’s rivers. This is part of a sustained attack on the non-native species that sees the EA working with partners, contractors, local communities and volunteer groups to clear the plant – even by hand, when necessary.
Floating pennywort forms dense mats that can affect oxygen levels in the water, crowd and kill off native wildlife, and damage habitat. It can become so prolific that boaters, anglers and others can’t use the waterway, and it clogs sluices, weirs and drains, potentially increasing flood risk. The plant is notoriously difficult to control – it can grow up to 25cm a day in the right conditions and even a small fragment can regrow into a new plant.
But the Environment Agency is continuing to battle the weed this winter. On the Great Ouse, teams with weedboats are harvesting and removing the pennywort onto the banks, where it can compost down safely and naturally. Volunteers from local fishing, canoeing and boating groups are also chipping in by removing rafts of the weed with their hands, nets and bin bags. Removal efforts will continue into the spring, and the Environment Agency is appealing to anglers, boaters and others who spend time on or near the water to report any patches they see – and to take precautions to avoid spreading it.
Learn more about invasive species – and how you can help stop the spread – on the Non-native Species Secretariat’s website.
Read the full version of this article here
Catchment Based Approach – new website
(Posted 12 March 2019)
A new Catchment Based Approach website has been launched, to better connect people in collaborative and cross-sector management of the water environment.
With a new look and feel, CaBA hope that the new website will facilitate more conversations about water management, help you find resources that are useful to you and your catchment, as well as inspire new people and businesses to get involved.
The ‘Learn’ section has the latest tools, apps and case studies of resources created by catchment partnerships. With over 100 resources available, use the filter or search panel, to find what you are looking for. A new ‘Get Involved’ section will help you find your local catchment partnership, using either a postcode search or interactive map to find out where your top 5 local catchment partnerships are and what they are doing locally. Talk to others working in the sector using the new ‘Discussion Forum’, where it is now easier to log in, post events and jobs.
The new site is intended to provide much broader support for the implementation of the Catchment Based Approach and other partnership-based approaches throughout the UK, EU and further afield.
https://catchmentbasedapproach.org/
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
International Year of the Salmon
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Environmental change and human impacts across the Northern Hemisphere are placing salmon at risk. The International Year of the Salmon aims to bring people together to share and develop knowledge more effectively, raise awareness and take action. 2019 is the focal year of the IYS, with research and outreach continuing through to 2022.
The International Year of the Salmon is an initiative to inform and stimulate outreach and research that aspires to establish the conditions necessary to ensure the resilience of salmon and people throughout the Northern Hemisphere. We want to bring people together, share and develop knowledge, raise awareness and take action.
The extraordinary life histories of salmon in the Northern Hemisphere exposes them to many environmental and human-caused factors influencing their health and abundance. We want to raise awareness of what humans can do to ensure salmon and their habitats are conserved and restored.
The IYS aims to:
Tackling illegal fishing in the UK Overseas Territories
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Blog explaining how illegal fishing is being tackled in UK overseas territories.
PROJECTS & RESEARCH
New treatment system able to remove at least 95% of pharmaceuticals from waste water
(Posted 12 March 2019)
The release of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in waste water from treatment plants (WWTPs) is currently not regulated anywhere in the world, with the exception of a few plants in Switzerland. Yet thousands of PhACs or their by-products – excreted by humans – can be found in waste water and some of these may harm biodiversity when released into waterways. For example, diclofenac and oxazepam may have negative effects on aquatic species.
A design solution is lacking for cost-effectively removing all PhACs in large-scale WWTPs without generating unwanted breakdown products. This study presents a pilot design that seeks to deliver an alternative to less effective technologies, in particular by optimising the use of activated carbon.
Read more here
Microplastic leachates impair behavioural vigilance and predator avoidance in a temperate intertidal gastropod
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Microplastics are a ubiquitous source of contaminations in marine ecosystems, and have major implications for marine life. Much effort has been devoted to assessing the various effects of microplastics on marine life. No evidence exists, however, on the effects of microplastic leachates on chemically mediated predator–prey interactions and the ability of prey to detect and avoid its predator.
This study shows that microplastic leachates have direct biological effects by disturbing the behavioural response of the intertidal gastropod Littorina littorea to the presence of Carcinus maenas chemical cues, hence increasing their vulnerability to predation. Leachates from virgin and beached pellets respectively impaired and inhibited L. littorea vigilance and antipredator behaviours. These results suggest that the biological effects from microplastic leachates may have major implications for marine ecosystems on taxa that rely on chemosensory cues to escape predation.
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsbl.2018.0453
Online tool enables quick comparison of strategies to control eutrophication
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Researchers have developed an online to help water managers find effective ways of tackling eutrophication, an excess growth of weeds and algae that suffocates life in rivers, lakes and seas. Users can compare the likely effects of different strategies for cutting nutrient pollution in surface waters via an interactive map-based system; this is currently available for Europe.
Read more here
How big a threat do invasive alien species pose to European biodiversity? A ranking of species for urgent risk assessment
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Invasive alien species (IAS) pose a threat to native European biodiversity and cost the EU annual damages worth €12 billion as a result of IAS effects on human health, damaged infrastructure, and agricultural losses. IAS are the focus of Target 9 of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) and Target 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy: ‘By 2020, IAS and their pathways are identified and prioritised… pathways are managed to prevent the introduction and establishment of new IAS.’ The EU framework for action against IAS is set out in Regulation 2 adopted in 2014. This provides for the adoption of a list of IAS of EU concern that will be subject to restrictions across the EU. The first step in order to consider a species for listing is to undertake a risk assessment.
Click here to read more
Alien invasive species leave European mariculture areas aboard pieces of anthropogenic litter
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Areas of mariculture – where marine organisms are cultivated for food – have been identified as important source areas for the dispersal of invasive alien species (IAS) via artificial floating litter. In order to identify IAS at high risk of dispersal via this method, researchers have analysed fouled anthropogenic litter sampled on beaches in two important European mariculture areas. Overall, the team detected eight aquaculture-related IAS attached to anthropogenic litter. All of these species are well adapted to rafting on artificial surfaces and have high potential to disperse in this way, suggesting that they are suitable candidates for closer monitoring and policy action in the future.
Read more here
PUBLICATIONS
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Project to learn more about the ecology of sea trout populations around the Irish Sea, in order to improve their conservation and management. This international project aimed to learn more about the ecology of sea trout populations around the Irish Sea.
Sea trout are important for tourism, the fishing industry and peripheral communities. Their fisheries are at risk from overfishing and from warming waters arising from climate change. The findings will help improve their conservation and management.
Read more here
Water management and catchment – map and groups
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Map of catchment groups in operation across England and Cross Border catchments, and list of catchment coordinators across England.
Part of the catchment based approach.
Access the information here
Marine aggregate dredging 1998–2017
(Posted 12 March 2019)
This publication provides a 20-year overview of an initiative launched in 1999 as a means of reporting the dredging footprint of the UK marine aggregate industry. It reflects the commitment by members of the British Marine Aggregate Producers
Association and The Crown Estate to review both dredging activity and licence areas on an annual basis, and to surrender those areas no longer containing economic sand and gravel resources.
Over two decades, the ‘Area Involved’ initiative has generated high-quality, high resolution data analysis which provides valuable environmental performance indicators for the marine aggregate sector.
The review reports data and highlights trends across three key indicators:
Technological advances have enabled the industry to develop a better understanding of its licensed resources which in turn has allowed the spatial footprint of its activities to be managed more efficiently. As a consequence, the overall reduction in both the area of seabed licensed and the area of seabed dredged over the period 1998-2017 has helped to minimise the environmental footprint of the sector’s operations.
This approach has also allowed the industry to limit the potential for spatial conflicts with other marine users, providing valuable evidence to help inform the development and implementation of marine planning.
Access the report here
(Posted 12 March 2019)
A report by the Wildlife Trusts.
Contents
Access the report here
Marine Protected Areas Network Report 2012–2018
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Extract from Executive Summary:
This report focusses on the scope and type of protection that has been put in place in English waters as well as indicative assessments of the condition of specific MCZs (Marine Conservation Zones). The devolved administrations are producing their own reports; however, they have provided brief summaries on their progress which have been included for context.
The report provides an update on the current state of the MPA network. With 139 MPAs, we have made substantial progress on the network as a whole since 2012. In particular, since the last progress report in 2012, 50 new MCZs have been designated. The report recognises there are still gaps in both the network and our evidence and sets out some of the further measures we are considering to complete the Blue Belt, including designating the third tranche of MCZs, exploring further the scope for Highly Protected Marine Areas and implementing the Whole Site Approach.
Alongside the designation of 50 MCZs and the significant expansion of the Natura 2000 network, the report considers the management measures in place to protect our marine environment.
Access the report here
Environment Agency 2017 data on regulated businesses in England
(Posted 12 March 2019)
The EA has published data on operational risk appraisal compliance ratings, pollution inventory, pollution incidents, enforcement and waste crime for 2017.
Catchment Based Approach annual report
(Posted 12 March 2019)
The Catchment Based Approach (CaBA) promotes collaborative working at a river catchment scale to realise environmental, social and economic benefits.
Partnerships undertook 452 projects during 2017/18 encompassing a wide range of issues. More than 60% of projects included engagement and awareness raising, with 45% addressing education and more than 14,000 volunteers and citizen scientists were deployed. A total of 65% of projects addressed biodiversity and habitat restoration, with 2,835 hectares of new habitat being created. River habitat restoration was undertaken within 53% of projects and 94 barriers to fish migration were mitigated, adding to more than 200 similar CaBA projects undertaken prior to spring 2017.
During 2017/18, for every £1 directly invested by Government, CaBA partnerships have raised £6.5 from non-governmental funders including water companies, EU funds including LIFE, Interreg and Horizon2020, waste companies and landfill taxes, and lottery funds.
Read more from the executive summary here
Access the catchment based approach website at: https://catchmentbasedapproach.org/
A survey of freshwater angling in England
(Posted 12 March 2019)
This study examined the spending patterns and behaviour of 10,000 surveyed fishing licence holders to build a picture of the market value of freshwater angling in England. The project showed that freshwater angling contributed £1.46 billion to the economy and supported 27,000 full-time equivalent jobs in 2015. The study also estimated the values associated with changes in quality of a fishing site showing, for example, that anglers place greatest value on a shift from low to medium fish abundance.
The project provides essential information for future management of fisheries and recognition of freshwater fisheries as part of our Natural Capital.
Read more here
REPORTS FROM EVENTS
Catchment Based Approach workshops – January and February 2019
(Posted 12 March 2019)
Presentations from the recent CaBA workshops:
Access here