INDEX

CONSULTATIONS

UK NEWS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

PROJECTS & RESEARCH

PUBLICATIONS

REPORTS FROM EVENTS

 

ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 

CONSULTATIONS

Marine Conservation Zones: third tranche of designations

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Defra want to know what you think about their proposals to designate a further 41 MCZs around the UK. They are also seeking your views on plans to add new features to 12 existing MCZs. MCZs are areas of sea where rare or important features are protected from damaging activity. These zones protect important habitats like honeycomb worm reefs and seagrass beds as well as species such as native oyster and stalked jellyfish.

A total of 50 zones have already been designated around England as part of the UK’s Blue Belt programme, including the first tranche of 27 zones designated in 2013, followed by the second tranche of 23 sites in 2016.

This consultation closes on 20 July 2018.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/marine-conservation-zones-third-tranche-of-designations

 

Consultation: Environment – developing environmental principles and accountability

(Posted 20 June 2018)

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 should apply in England to guide and shape environmental law and policymaking after EU exit.

The consultation closes on 2 August 2018.

Access the consultation here

 

Sustainable seas inquiry

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The Environmental Audit Committee launches a new inquiry on the future of our seas – examining how they can be protected from climate change, acidification, overfishing and pollution, and how the government can create a sustainable blue economy.

The Committee will be focusing its inquiry on three areas:

  1. The impact of environmental changes and the legal framework protecting ocean biodiversity
  2. A sustainable blue economy
  3. The impact of marine industries, science and innovation, and blue finance.

Read more here

 

UK NEWS

£5 billion investment by water companies to benefit the natural environment

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The Environment Secretary Michael Gove has challenged water companies to increase investment and improve environmental outcomes by 2025. The ambitious measures set out by the Environment Agency in the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) will see up to £5 billion of investment by water companies in the natural environment through 2020 to 2025.

This will help tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the water environment, from the spread of invasive species and low flows to the effects of chemical and nutrient pollution. Water companies have a duty to protect and enhance the natural water environment. The government expects water companies to meet the obligations set out in the Environment Programme (WINEP) by 2025.

Read more here

 

'Staggering' clean-up of river polluted by metal mine

(Posted 20 June 2018)

A pilot scheme to clean rivers polluted by abandoned metal mines has delivered ‘staggering’ results, environment officials have claimed. The new technology – thought to be a world-first – removed up to 99.5% of metals which impact water quality.

The electrochemical technique separated a metallic sludge from mine discharges, leaving clean water behind. The metallic sludge which sinks to the bottom of the tank can then also be removed safely. In future it is hoped the sludge could potentially be sold and the metals extracted and re-used. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said it marked a potential step change in how the problem is handled. The innovative treatment plant has been tested on a stretch of the river Rheidol near Aberystwyth in Ceredigion.

It is thought that eight tonnes of metal, including zinc, chromium and cadmium, enter the Rheidol every year, spreading out over 11 miles of river, killing fish and other wildlife. Since the 1960s the polluted water has been collected in large pools in an attempt to filter out the metals, with limited success. More recently, treating it using a combination of compost, limestone and cockle shells has been more effective. However, scaling up this technique would require much more land than is available in the narrow, steep-sided valley, so NRW asked technology companies to come up with an innovative solution.

Metal mining in the UK peaked in the 18th and 19th centuries and although they have now all closed, their effect on the environment is still obvious. Wales has more than 1,300 abandoned metal mines, impacting more than 67 water bodies and in excess of 370 miles of river.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-43961898

 

Record number of wet wipes found on Thames foreshore

(Posted 20 June 2018)

More than 5,000 wet wipes have been found in one single area of the Thames foreshore near Hammersmith Bridge. This is the highest number of wet wipes ever found in a single place in the UK: 5,453 on a 116 m2 stretch of foreshore.

Over fifty Londoners took part in the April citizen science event on the Barnes riverside. Wet wipes are collecting there in such numbers they have changed the shape of the riverbed, creating low mounds visible at low tide. The Big Count event, run annually by leading waterways charity Thames21, aims to measure the impact of plastic on the river Thames.

It is likely that other sites along the river have similar accumulations of wet wipes, at various points on the insides of bends where the water moves more slowly. Unlike bottles, which float, wet wipes are heavy, so they tend to sink to the bottom of rivers, which means the problem is less obvious.  But at low tide in certain parts of the Thames, low mounds can be seen. These look natural but are made up of wet wipes, combined with sediment and twigs.

https://www.thames21.org.uk/2018/04/record-number-wet-wipes-found-thames-foreshore/

 

Scotland's bathing waters continue to meet strict environmental standards ahead of new season

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has revealed that 75 of the country’s 86 designated bathing waters (87%) meet strict environmental standards for water quality. Partnership projects are underway to improve bathing waters, including 11 rated as ‘poor’.

Beach users will have access to real-time water quality information from across Scotland’s designated beaches thanks to SEPA scientists who sample and combine with state-of-the-art weather data to provide daily bathing water forecasts throughout the season of three-and-a-half months. These are available at 31 bathing water locations by 10am every morning.

Read more here

 

Tipping the scales – Fish Farm generating future fisheries

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The Environment Agency’s National Coarse Fish Farm near Calverton, Nottinghamshire, is continuing to break records for producing healthy fish for re-stocking. These fish play an important role in the work of the EA and its partners to restore, improve and develop sustainable fisheries in England.

In 2017 Calverton produced 9 tonnes of strong healthy fish, an increase from the 6 tonnes produced in 2016. Over the 12 months the farm bred more than 350,000 fish, with the average size and quality of each fish increasing on previous years. In 2017, they also stocked out over 6,000,000 advanced reared larvae back into the wild. Some of these larvae were introduced into waters where natural reproduction has previously been poor. They help to give the resident fish populations a boost to become self-sustainable in the future.

The main reasons for stocking Calverton-bred fish and larvae are: replacing stocks lost to pollution or following habitat or water quality improvements; improving stocks where natural reproduction is low; and helping to create fisheries in areas where there is a shortage of angling opportunities.

Read more here

 

UK launches new research and innovation hub to tackle scourge of plastic in our seas and oceans

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The UK, working with other Commonwealth countries, will launch a research and innovation hub for experts to develop solutions to stop plastic waste from entering our oceans and find environmentally-friendly alternatives to plastic.

This Framework will bring together experts, governments and businesses from across the Commonwealth to support knowledge sharing and new research in a broad range of issues – from stopping plastic waste entering the oceans in the first place and fostering a more circular economy, to exploring sustainable ways to clean up our seas and developing environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic.

High-profile names Unilever and Waitrose are backing the hub financially. The British Plastics Federation and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation are among the top names that have given their support.

Read more here

 

New environment law to deliver a Green Brexit

(Posted 20 June 2018)

A new Environmental Principles and Governance Bill will ensure environmental protections will not be weakened as we leave the EU, the government has confirmed. A consultation is being held on the contents of the Environmental Principles and Governance Bill, which will establish a world-leading body to hold government to account for environmental outcomes.

Subject to consultation, the new body could be responsible for:

  • providing independent scrutiny and advice on existing and future government environmental law and policy
  • responding to complaints about government’s delivery of environmental law
  • holding government to account publicly over its delivery of environmental law and exercising enforcement powers where necessary.

The government is also consulting on its intention to require ministers to produce – and then have regard to – a statutory and comprehensive policy statement setting out how they will apply core environmental principles as they develop policy and discharge their responsibilities. 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.

The Environmental Principles and Governance Bill will be published in draft in the autumn. Public consultation on the environmental principles policy statement will follow in due course. The Bill will be introduced early in the second session of this Parliament, ensuring these measures are introduced in time for the end of the implementation period in December 2020. EU environmental governance structures will continue to apply during the implementation period.

Read more here

 

Marine pioneer

(Posted 20 June 2018)

This involves pioneering new approaches (including natural capital) to the management of the marine environment.

Aspects of the coastal and marine environment are in decline and we are causing irreversible damage to biodiversity and a loss of natural capital. This is despite previous efforts to prevent degradation and maintain and restore species and habitats. Current policies direct public and private organisations to manage the marine area as one whole system for example by using an ecosystem approach and sustainable development.

Different initiatives are working on implementing these approaches, eg marine planning, plan-led licensing, sustainable fisheries and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, but the marine environment is a complex interconnected system which we are still trying to fully understand. To tackle this and other similar issues the government has outlined a 25 year environment plan.

The pioneer has been set up to inform delivery of the 25 year environment plan. In particular to test the application of a natural capital approach, how to integrate planning and delivery further, how to apply better funding mechanisms and to share lessons.

Read more here

 

Government launches microplastics research to protect oceans

(Posted 20 June 2018)

A new research project analysing the impact of tyres and clothing on the marine environment has been launched today by the government. It has pledged £200,000 for scientists at the University of Plymouth to explore how tiny plastic particles from tyres, synthetic materials like polyester, and fishing gear – such as nets, ropes and lines – enter our waterways and oceans, and the impact they have on marine life.

This comprehensive research will be used to improve our scientific understanding of how microplastics from other sources enter the oceans – whether through fibres released into waste water during a washing cycle, or car tyre friction on roads creating a dust of particles that make their way into the seas through sewers.

The 11 month project will build on the research already underway – with some scientists estimating tyres contribute 270,000 tonnes of plastics per year while a single wash load of acrylic clothing could release over 700,000 microfibres into the ocean. The research will be used to guide future policy priorities.

Read more here

 

UK River Prize 2018 won by ‘Hills to Levels’ project

(Posted 20 June 2018)

This year’s winning entry for the 2018 UK River Prize, which recognises and celebrates the achievements of individuals and organisations committed to improving our rivers and catchments, is ‘Hills to Levels’ – a partnership project led by Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) SouthWest. This was given for the excellent demonstration of integrated catchment-wide approaches to raising awareness and tackling river quality problems. Following the devastating floods in Somerset in 2014, the ‘Hills to Levels’ project was set up as a collaboration between FWAG SouthWest, Somerset Wildlife Trust (SWT), RSPB and the Royal Bath & West Society. The work is over five main catchments – River Parrett, River Tone, West Somerset Streams, River Brue and River Axe.

The UK River Prize is administered by the River Restoration Centre, partnered by Arup, South East Water, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Natural Resources Wales.

Read more here

 

UK increases commitment to protect oceans from plastics and fight illegal wildlife trade

(Posted 20 June 2018)

At the Global Environment Facility conference, the UK joined 29 other international donors to recommit for a further four years to help developing countries tackle global environmental degradation.

The UK is stepping up its support to fight global environmental challenges, with a greater focus on protecting the world’s oceans, including from plastic waste pollution, and tackling the illegal wildlife trade. The UK’s commitment of up to £250 million over the next four years is an increase on the last pledge of £210 million from 2014–2018, and maintains the UK’s leadership on tackling environmental challenges that threaten global stability and security.

Read more here

 

UK government rallies Commonwealth to unite on marine waste

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The government announced its intention to ban the sale of plastic straws, drink stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit. The prime minister also called on all other Commonwealth countries to join in the fight against plastic pollution.

Subject to the consultation, which the Environment Secretary will launch later this year, the government will ban the sale of these items in England under plans to protect our rivers and seas and meet Defra’s 25 Year Environment Plan ambition to eliminate avoidable plastic waste. This forms part of the wider government waste strategy – including the government’s current call for evidence on how we can use the tax system to address single use plastics waste.

In order to eliminate these items from use the Government will work with industry to develop alternatives and ensure there is sufficient time to adapt. It will also propose excluding plastic straws for medical reasons. Single-use plastic items such as straws, stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds have a significant impact on our environment, both on land and in our seas and rivers when they are either littered or discarded incorrectly after use – with a recent study showing 8.5 billion plastic straws are thrown away each year in the UK.

The announcement comes as the prime minister has urged all Commonwealth countries to sign up to the newly formed Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance and take action. To drive this forward the UK government has committed a £61.4 million package of funding to boost global research and help countries across the Commonwealth stop plastic waste from entering the oceans in the first place.

There are over 150 million tonnes of plastic in the world’s oceans and every year one million birds and over 100,000 sea mammals die from eating and getting tangled in plastic waste.

Read more here

 

UK pledges protection for corals

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The UK has officially joined the Coral Reef Life Declaration, committing to safeguarding coral reefs from climate change and rising sea temperatures.

International work to protect these vital marine habitats is gathering momentum as coral reefs come under increasing pressure from climate change and human activity.

The Coral Reef Life Declaration was launched by Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Our Ocean conference in Malta last year to encourage countries to come together to protect coral reefs. So far 12 countries have signed the declaration, including Australia, Fiji and the Seychelles.

The UK waters are home to cold water corals over 8,000 years old, with the only known coral reef in English waters protected as a Marine Conservation Zone. The Canyons MCZ, located off the Cornish coast, covers an area of more than 650 km2. There are also extensive reefs off the west coast of Scotland where there are seven Marine Protected Areas safeguarding this fragile habitat from damage.

The UK’s Overseas Territories also hold a huge array of tropical and cold water coral reefs. Through the Blue Belt programme the government is currently on track to protect over four million square kilometres of ocean across the Overseas Territories by 2020, working with local communities to protect the coral species.

Read more here

 

Drop in plastic bags littering British seas linked to introduction of 5p charge

(Posted 20 June 2018)

A significant drop in plastic bags found in the seas around Britain has been credited to the introduction of charges for plastic bags across Europe. Ireland and Denmark were the first two countries to bring in levies for plastic bags from shops in 2003, followed by slew of other European countries. England was the last UK nation to introduce one, in 2015.

In the first study of its kind, scientists have found around a 30% drop in plastic bags on the seabed in a large area from Norway and Germany to northern France, and west to Ireland.

The authors of the study, measured from 2010 (about the mid-point of charging policies coming into force), said this showed the power of such levies. The results could also be used by campaigners for other charges aimed at reducing public problems, such as pollution, obesity, smoking and congestion. The UK is already consulting on a refundable charge for bottles and cans.

Read more here

 

Working together to manage our catchments

(Posted 20 June 2018)

This note explains the opportunities for catchment partnerships and water companies to work together for the benefit of people, the environment and local economies.

This four-page communication is for you if you work in a water company or as part of a catchment partnership. It will help explain why a catchment based approach can help your work benefit people, the environment and local economies. It builds upon a previous note describing the benefits of collaborative working between water industry and CaBA Partnerships. Topics covered include:

  • Opportunities in the current Price Review (PR19)
  • What is the Catchment Based Approach?
  • Benefits of the Catchment Based Approach
  • What you can do now

Read more here

 

Clean Water for Wildlife – The Search for Clean Water

(Posted 20 June 2018)

A three-year national survey comes to an end. Nearly 10,000 results were recorded by volunteers from over 7,000 waterbodies across England and Wales. In the first national survey of its kind, citizen scientists were recruited to gather data about nutrient pollution from all kinds of freshwater habitats. The aim was to find fantastic freshwater free from pollution where wildlife can thrive and to raise awareness of the extent of nutrient pollution affecting freshwater wildlife.

Until recently there were many challenges to finding the best freshwater habitats, those that support rich and diverse communities of plants and animals. It would have required highly skilled plant and invertebrate surveys. However, good water quality is often the best indicator of a thriving freshwater habitat. Clean water habitats, those that are free from pollution, are home to a vast array of plants, invertebrates, amphibians, fish, mammals and birds. Thanks to the innovative Clean Water Kits and the power of citizen science, it has been possible to discover fantastic clean water gems, places free from pollution, at a landscape level. Over 30,000 Clean Water Kits have been distributed to volunteers across England and Wales to test their local freshwater habitats and to build a map of water quality.

The results show that nutrient pollution is widespread and very high levels of nitrates and phosphates were found amongst all freshwater habitats types. However, clean water could still be found in all landscapes, even those intensively managed or highly urbanised, and some landscapes were almost free of nutrient pollution. More good news is that the results revealed for the first time the national importance of small waterbodies in the clean water network.

Read more about this project here: https://freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/news/searchforcleanwater/

For further information on Clean Water for Wildlife and to view the results please visit:
www.freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/projects/clean-water

Clean Water for Wildlife is one of three initiatives in the People, Ponds and Water project. It is funded by the National Heritage Lottery.

 

CaBA Guidance Note – Engaging with Local Enterprise Partnerships

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The 39 Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) across England are non-statutory bodies involving partnership between businesses and local authorities. LEPs promote business, support economic growth and drive job creation.

http://www.lepnetwork.net

Despite their strong economic focus, there is scope for Catchment Partnerships to engage and work with LEPs, particularly to ensure that growth supported through the funding provided by the LEP is environmentally sustainable. In many regions the quality of the environment underpins the growth the LEP seek, while in others poor environment can be holding back potential growth. The aim should be to seek both economic and environmental benefits through delivery of the growth agenda. This note provides some basic guidance for CaBA Partnerships on how to engage their LEP and provides examples of collaboration.

Read more here

 

First tree planted in River Aire natural flood management pilot

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The first of 450 trees have been planted in a £500,000 natural flood management pilot scheme on the River Aire to reduce flood risk. This pilot site is designed to see how natural techniques can slow the flow of water and reduce the risk of flooding downstream. Trees such as dogwood, guelder rose, downy birch, alder, and willow will be planted along with hedgerows of hawthorn, blackthorn and hazel. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust staff and volunteers will be leading the planting of trees at the site.

The natural flood management pilot forms part of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme, led by Leeds City Council in partnership with the Environment Agency, which has a catchment-wide approach to flood risk. Working with natural processes to reduce flood risk, known as natural flood management, is an important part of managing and reducing flood risk in a sustainable way alongside more traditional engineering solutions. The interventions will also create habitat for wildlife and help regenerate rural and urban areas through tourism.

The pilot sites will allow the team to do monitoring and research of the techniques used to gather evidence and increase their understanding and the benefits they give to reducing flood risk.

Read more here

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

From Sea to Source: Protection and restoration of fish migration in rivers worldwide

(Posted 20 June 2018)

In 2012 the first global edition of the book From Sea to Source was published. This was a work intended to inform, educate and inspire those who wanted to know much more about how to meet the challenges that lie behind restoration of fish migration in rivers around the world. Whether the challenge is simply to increase access to spawning habitats through connectivity improvements for salmon, or to maintain the livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people dependent upon fish and fisheries in the great rivers of Asia, Africa and South America.

With the release of the 2018 From Sea to Source 2.0 the authors show how rivers are a critical natural resource that sustain us all and support livelihoods, health and wellbeing. Approximately 40% of all fish species in the world reside in freshwater ecosystems, contributing economic and ecological benefits and value.

To access the book: http://www.fromseatosource.com/index.php?page=ABOUT

 

Good news for holidaymakers: excellent water quality at vast majority of European bathing sites

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Despite a slight drop in results, 85% of swimming sites across Europe monitored in 2017 met the EU's highest and most stringent 'excellent' quality standards. The results give a good indication where holiday makers can find the best quality bathing waters this summer.

Nearly all of the 21,801 bathing water sites monitored last year across Europe met the minimum quality requirements. Albania and Switzerland also monitored and reported on the quality of their 292 bathing water sites.

Specific results from monitoring showed a small drop in EU sites meeting the highest 'excellent' and the minimum quality requirements set out by the EU's Bathing Water Directive. 'Excellent' quality standards across Europe dropped marginally from 85.5% in 2016 to 85% last year. Similarly those meeting minimum 'sufficient' standing fell from 96.3% to 96.0%. The reason for the slight drop was due mostly to the effect of summer rain on test results as well as changes in testing methodology in Romania and Sweden. Alongside this year's report, the EEA has also released an updated interactive map showing the performance of each bathing site.

Other key findings:

  • In five countries, 95% or more of bathing waters were assessed as being of excellent quality: Luxembourg, Malta, Cyprus, Greece and Austria.
  • The three countries with the highest numbers of bathing water sites of 'poor' water quality were Italy (79 bathing water sites or 1.4%), France (80 sites or 2.4%) and Spain (38 sites or 1.7%). In the EU Member States, the highest proportion of bathing waters classified as  'poor'  was recorded in Estonia (4 bathing waters or 7.4%), Ireland (7 bathing waters or 4.9%) and the United Kingdom (21 bathing waters or 3.3%). 

Read more here

 

UK leads the way to halt alarming number of EU fishing fleet dolphin deaths

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Eight UK based marine campaigning charities, with ten of their EU counterparts, are urging the French, Spanish and Irish governments to take urgent action to cut alarming numbers of dolphin and porpoise deaths caused by their fishing fleets in and around UK waters.

Scientists are very concerned by the numbers of dead common dolphins and porpoises washing up on our shores each year. They are worried that the numbers of deaths is excessively high due to poor practices by other nations’ fishing fleets in and around UK waters.

Wildlife and Countryside Link state: In Ireland the number of dead and dying dolphins found stranded on their coasts has soared by over 150% since 2010 and action by the Irish government on this issue is inconsistent. Spain has high numbers of fishing-related porpoise and dolphin deaths, the Galician coast alone has around 1700 deaths per year. The Spanish government is not fulfilling EU legal requirements to monitor the catching of dolphins by their fleets. France is monitoring by catch but is doing little to reduce the numbers caught and killed.

Note: Wildlife and Countryside Link is a unique coalition of 48 voluntary organisations in the UK concerned with the conservation and protection of wildlife and the countryside.

Read more here

 

Darwin Initiative: £10 million for international conservation projects

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The Darwin Initiative will fund 52 projects around the globe sharing £10.6 million and delivering commitments in the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.

The government has awarded a total package of £10.6 million to 52 projects over the next three years from across the globe that will support and enhance biodiversity. Since 1992, the Darwin Initiative has funded 1,055 projects from 159 countries, with a value of £140m.

The Darwin Initiative is a grants scheme that helps to protect biodiversity and the natural environment around the globe. The initiative funds projects that help countries rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources to meet their objectives under one or more established biodiversity conventions. Many of the applications reflect the UK government’s 25 Year Environment Plan commitments to protect the marine environment, to secure the benefits of biodiversity for the poorest communities, and to help prevent the extinction of species.

Read more here

 

PROJECTS & RESEARCH

Wastewater treatment plants as a source of microplastics in river catchments

(Posted 20 June 2018)

It is now well established that the oceans contain significant accumulations of plastic debris but only very recently have studies began to look at sources of microplastics in river catchments. (Microplastics are pieces of plastic with a diameter less than five millimetres.)This work measured microplastics up- and downstream of six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in different catchments with varying characteristics and found that all led to an increase in microplastics in rivers.

However, the data collected indicated that there were other important sources of microplastics in the catchments studied and that these may include atmospheric deposition, agricultural land to which sewage sludge has been applied, and diffuse release of secondary microplastics following the breakdown of larger plastic items. The study categorised the types of microplastics found into pellets/beads, fibres and fragments/flakes. Fragment and fibres made up nearly 90 per cent of the microplastics found in the river samples.

Source of information:
https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/article/4248/wastewater_plants_are_key_route_into_uk_rivers_
for_microplastics

Click here to access the paper

 

Angling Trust teams up with scientists studying return of Bluefin tuna to UK waters

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The Angling Trust is supporting a two-year scientific study to confirm the return of Atlantic bluefin tuna to British waters and investigate their movements. The Thunnus UK Project is being carried out by the University of Exeter and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and will use state-of-the-art tracking devices to improve knowledge of the species and help secure its future around the UK.

Atlantic bluefin tuna are amongst the biggest, fastest and most valuable fish in the sea and were once a common sight in UK waters, ranging throughout the Celtic and North Sea. However, they largely disappeared from British waters in the 1990s, possibly due to overfishing, and are now recognised as an endangered species. In recent years they have been observed more frequently in UK coastal waters.

The research team will be supported by Defra and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

The work will help scientists to understand:

  • Where and when Atlantic bluefin tuna are found in British waters
  • Long-distance migrations and where Atlantic bluefin tuna go when they are not in UK coastal waters
  • Where Atlantic bluefin tuna found in UK waters go to breed
  • Interactions between Atlantic bluefin tuna and both commercial and recreational fisheries.

Read more here

 

The Missing Salmon Project

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Somewhere on their journey, wild salmon numbers are being decimated. For every 100 salmon that leave our rivers for the sea, less than five return – a decline of nearly 70% in just 25 years.

This is why the Atlantic Salmon Trust has launched The Missing Salmon Project – a campaign to raise £1 million by the end of 2018 to fund a tagging and tracking project that will uncover the secrets of the missing salmon to help prevent further decline of this iconic species. This will be the largest acoustic tracking project for salmon in Europe and will track smolts further than ever before. If funding is secured, in 2019 the tagging project will start its work in the Moray Firth – the route taken by 20% of all salmon that leave the UK. The lessons learned from the study in the Moray Firth will provide valuable insights that are transferable to other populations of salmon around the UK.

Read more at http://www.atlanticsalmontrust.org/themissingsalmonproject/

 

Below the surface: Twenty-five years of seafloor litter monitoring in coastal seas of North-West Europe

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Marine litter presents a global problem, with increasing quantities documented in recent decades. The distribution and abundance of marine litter on the seafloor off the UK’s coasts were quantified during 39 independent scientific surveys conducted between 1992 and 2017.

Widespread distribution of litter items, especially plastics, were found on the seabed of the North Sea, English Channel, Celtic Sea and Irish Sea. High variation in abundance of litter items was observed. Plastic items such as bags, bottles and fishing-related debris were commonly observed across all areas. Over the entire 25-year period, 63% of the 2,461 trawls contained at least one plastic litter item. Statistically significant trends were observed in specific plastic litter categories only. These trends were all positive (including that for fishing debris) except for a negative trend in plastic bags in the Greater North Sea – suggesting that behavioural and legislative changes could reduce the problem of marine litter within decades.

Read the full paper here

 

Protecting Scotland’s wild Atlantic salmon

(Posted 20 June 2018)

River managers will be able to limit the impact of climate change on Scotland’s rivers and fisheries by using a new online mapping tool to plan mitigation work. Scientists at Marine Scotland and the University of Birmingham have developed a river temperature model to predict the maximum daily river temperatures and sensitivity to climate change throughout Scotland, with interactive maps made available through the National Marine Plan interactive website.

Scotland’s rivers account for around 75% of the UK and 30% of European wild salmon production, with freshwater fisheries and associated expenditure contributing more than £79 million a year to the Scottish economy.

However, with Atlantic salmon sensitive to changes in river temperature and temperatures expected to increase under climate change, there are concerns that Scottish rivers could become less suitable for salmon. The project identifies the rivers that are greatest risk of climate change impacts, making it easier for river managers to take forward mitigation measures. This work could include planting trees on river banks to increase shading or managing water demand and use.

https://news.gov.scot/news/impact-of-climate-change-on-rivers

 

Global analysis of depletion and recovery of seabed biota after bottom trawling disturbance

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Bottom trawling is the most widespread source of physical disturbance to the world’s seabed. Predictions of trawling impacts are needed to underpin risk assessment, and they are relevant for the fishing industry, conservation, management, and certification bodies. This research estimates depletion and recovery of seabed biota after trawling by fitting models to data from a global data compilation. Trawl gears removed 6–41% of faunal biomass per pass, and recovery times post-trawling were 1.9–6.4 years depending on the fisheries and environmental context. These results allow estimations of trawling impacts on unprecedented spatial scales, and also for data-poor fisheries; they also enable an objective analysis to be made of trade-offs between harvesting fish and the wider ecosystem effects of such activities.

Read more at: http://www.pnas.org/content/114/31/8301

 

Antibiotic resistance in struvite fertiliser from waste water could enter the food chain

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The application to crops of struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) recovered from waste water may cause antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) present in this fertiliser to enter the food chain. Chinese researchers who conducted this study on Brassica plants suggest that ARGs in struvite pass from the soil into the roots of the plant, and from the roots to the leaves, via the bacterial community already present. The results of this research highlight the need for struvite production methods and agricultural practices that minimise the risk of antibiotic resistance transmission from struvite to humans or animals via the environment.

Read more here

 

PUBLICATIONS

Environment Agency: our ambition to 2020

(Posted 20 June 2018)

This report sets out the Environment Agency’s priorities from 2016 to 2020 (NB this is an updated version, the original being published in June 2016).

This is the EA’s ambition for how they plan to protect and improve our natural resources in years to come, alongside Defra’s proposed 25-year environment plan.

This document includes the EA’s vision, principles and purpose, as well as how they will help to deliver against the 25 year environment plan. They have also explained the metrics they will be measured against so they know when they are succeeding in their ambitions. This document also describes some case studies of their work to protect and improve the environment as well as the people that help them to achieve their vision.

Read the report here

 

Partnerships for action in river catchment governance – a case study in the Irwell, UK

(Posted 20 June 2018)

A new report on catchment governance has been released, thanks to funding from EU LIFE programme. Using the River Irwell in Greater Manchester as a case study, the report (by Open University) reviews the current thinking and practices in relation to the catchment-based approach and makes recommendations for the future.

The research looks at current thinking and practices in relation to the catchment-based approach against two conceptual models: an interest-based governance framework, and methods (including systems thinking, social learning and collaborative actions) through which this framework could be operated in order to achieve sustainable development. The findings show that in the Irwell catchment area, the work of the catchment partnership has evolved to address a diverse range of issues which include, but are not limited to, the implementation of the Water Framework Directive.

As a next step, the authors invite all people as individuals, small groups and larger organisations to engage in learning together as a way forward – and taking into account the recommendations from this report, to (re-)explore their own situation in relation to catchment management, leading to changes in thinking and practices to improve the situation.

Access the report here

For further information about the Irwell catchment partnership, see
www.catchmentbasedapproach.org/north-west/irwell

 

Protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources based on Member State reports for the period 2012–2015

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The data on nitrates show that freshwater and groundwater quality has slightly improved in 2012–2015 when compared to the previous reporting period (2008–2011). At the same time the situation is variable across the EU, with Member States where action programmes are yielding good results and Member States where further action to reduce and prevent pollution is needed.

Overall, and despite some positive progress, nutrients overload from agriculture continues to be one of the biggest pressures on the aquatic environment. This needs to be addressed in order to achieve the good ecological status of waters as established by the WFD.

Access the report here

 

Catchment management: the declaration

(Posted 20 June 2018)

This declaration is a call from business, civil society organisations and the public sector to commit to the water catchment-related ambition of the UK government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and support collective activities that will deliver successful catchment management. It is published by the University of Cambridge, Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

This Declaration is a collaborative initiative that will create multi-sector water management.  It is designed to bring together businesses from across sectors with stakeholders from UK governments and NGOs to tackle the collective challenge of water stresses through catchment management.  It aims to positively respond to the 25 Year Environment Plan; to create connections between existing initiatives; and to create real practical actions.

The Declaration consists of six principles. It acknowledges that change cannot be achieved by a few regulatory tweaks, nor can any single sector or government agency, working in isolation, deliver this change.  Catchment solutions are multi-sector and highly interconnected.

Access the document here

 

Is there a need to designate Highly Protected Marine Areas within a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)?

(Posted 20 June 2018)

This project provides objective advice to government on whether there is a need for Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) within a network of MPAs in our waters.

The report synthesises the key findings of the review undertaken for Defra, and the benefits and risks of designating HPMAs. The review contributes to the evidence base informing Defra’s decision on whether to establish HPMAs within the MPA network in Secretary of State (SoS) waters and, if so, how best to undertake work to successfully identify and designate such areas. This report does not consider the potential cost of enforcement nor the potential cost to marine industries.

The objectives of the project were addressed through three separate but interrelated reviews of (1) the legal instruments and guidance concerning HPMAs, (2) ecological and socio-economic evidence of the benefits and risks of HPMAs, and (3) processes for implementation of HPMAs. The key findings cover:

  • Legal instruments and guidance concerning HPMAs
  • Conservation benefits
  • Conservation risks
  • Ecological criteria needed to deliver conservation benefits
  • Benefits from ecosystem service provision
  • Socioeconomic risks
  • Benefits and risks of different management regimes
  • National and international processes for implementation of HPMAs.

To read the report click here

 

UK Environmental Policy Post-Brexit: A Risk Analysis

(Posted 20 June 2018)

This report has been written by academics from the University of Sheffield, Queen’s University Belfast and the University of East Anglia. It was commissioned by Friends of the Earth who asked the researchers to identify ‘what, if any, are the risks to the environment from the various post-Brexit relationships currently being discussed? The authors maintained full academic freedom in producing the content, conclusions and recommendations.

The report reviews risk to UK and EU environmental policy under the Norwegian, Canadian, Turkish and planned and chaotic no-deal Brexit scenarios. The categorisation of risk ranges from limited through to very high risk. The categorisation is based on risks to policy outputs, which we assume affect environmental outcomes. The decision of the level of risk is informed by a systematic review of the implications of each scenario for the regulation of the relevant sector, taking into account three cross-cutting risk factors: potential governance gaps, coordination problems between Westminster and the devolved nations, and the level of protection offered by international environmental commitments.

Access the report here

 

Environment Agency calls for action on water efficiency

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Rivers and wildlife could be left without sufficient water unless action is taken to reduce water use and wastage, according to a recent Environment Agency report.

The first major report on water resources in England states that climate change and demand from a growing population are the biggest pressures on the availability of water. Without action to increase supply, reduce demand and cut down on wastage, many areas in England could see significant supply deficits by 2050 – particularly in the South East.

The State of the Environment: Water Resources report highlights unsustainable levels of water abstraction, leakage from water companies – currently estimated at 3 billion litres per day – and demand from industry and the public as three of the issues to tackle in order to protect the water environment. The report shows that current levels of water abstraction are unsustainable in more than a quarter of groundwaters and one-fifth of rivers, leading to reduced flows which could damage local ecology and wildlife.

Last year the government announced a plan for abstraction reform which will review existing licences and introduce more controls to protect water resources. The Environment Agency has started work in four priority catchments to test out new licensing approaches to help meet local demand.

Key findings of the report:

  • Impacts of pressures on water resources are evident and will increase with a growing population, changing climate and changes to how we use land.
  • Abstraction, drainage and altered water levels are major causes of damage to wetlands.
  • In 2017, abstraction from around 28% of groundwater bodies and up to 18% of surface waters was at higher than sustainable levels.
  • In 2016, unsustainable abstraction prevented at least 6% and possibly up to 15% of river water bodies from meeting good ecological status or potential.
  • Winter rainfall has increased since the mid-18th century; summer rainfall has decreased slightly over the same period.
  • High winter river flows have increased over the past 30 years, with a subsequent increase in the frequency and magnitude of flooding.
  • There is no clear trend in droughts, but summer river flows and groundwater levels may decrease in the future.

Read the State of the Environment report: Water Resources here

 

Sewage sludge in agriculture: code of practice

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Use this code to help you follow the rules when you produce or use sewage sludge in agriculture.

The code tells you:

  • the benefits and hazards of using sludge in agriculture
  • when and where you’re allowed to use sludge
  • the treatments you can use
  • what tests you must carry out
  • how to protect the environment and avoid public nuisance.

Access the document here

 

Bathing waters: list of designated waters in England

(Posted 20 June 2018)

List of designated bathing waters for the 2018 bathing season: 15 May to 30 September.

See the list here

 

Saving the Earth Report: A sustainable future for soils and water

(Posted 20 June 2018)

A new report by WWF, the Rivers Trust and the Angling Trusts shows that spending approximately £10 million a year on soil protection measures would ensure a future for agriculture and reverse the decline of our rivers. A total of 86% of England’s rivers are currently classed as unhealthy, with pollution from agriculture being one of the main causes. The report also shows that using current farm subsidies to encourage farmers to turn small areas of farmland into grassland, woodland and/or wetlands would create huge benefits for nature and society.

From the report summary:

We are seeing an ongoing decline in river health and aquatic biodiversity. Only 14% of rivers in England are classed as healthy. Poor farming and land management practices are among the main causes and yet the taxpayer pays £2bn a year in subsidies to the agricultural sector. Leaving the Common Agricultural Policy presents a unique opportunity to make this money work better for the environment.

Governance reform is also required to set clear objectives, increase accountability and to get better value from the billions invested each year by water bill payers and taxpayers.

Access the report here

 

Daylighting Streams: Breathing Life into Urban Streams and Communities

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Preserving and protecting small streams is the best approach to ensure environmental and community benefits such as clean water and flood reduction. In highly urbanized areas, however, where small, headwater streams are often buried, hidden, and forgotten, protecting headwater streams is not possible. Stream daylighting is a relatively new approach that brings these buried waterways back to life by physically uncovering and restoring them. Daylighting is an applicable technique to assist communities in reducing polluted runoff, addressing flash flooding concerns, and improving the built environment.

This report describes the importance of small streams and provides the context for why many of today’s urban streams are buried. It also identifies and analyses the benefits of stream daylighting, including water quality improvements, flood mitigation, and community and economic revitalization. Case studies illustrate the benefits provided to communities by daylighting.

Read the report here

 

Future of the sea

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Foresight report looking at the important future trends, challenges and opportunities for the UK from the sea. This report considers the role that science and technology can play in understanding and providing solutions to the long-term issues affecting the sea. It outlines a number of recommendations to help the UK utilise its current expertise and technological strengths to foster trade links, build marine capacity across the world and collaborate to tackle climate change.

Further details of the project and the supporting evidence are available from the Foresight project page.

Read the report here

 

Good Fish Guide – your guide to sustainable seafood

(Posted 20 June 2018)

You can play a key role in securing the future of our seas and marine wildlife by making more environmentally responsible choices when buying seafood. The Marine Conservation Society’s guide shows you how. Their ‘Good Fish Guide’ online is clear and easy to use. There is also an app, plus a summary is available as a PDF download.

https://www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide/search

PDF version: https://www.mcsuk.org/media/seafood/PocketGoodFishGuide.pdf

 

REPORTS FROM EVENTS

Microplastic Methods Workshop (23 May 2018)

(Posted 20 June 2018)

This workshop was jointly hosted by the UK Microplastics Network with the Royal Society of Chemistry Water Science Forum. It brought together experts who are actively working and developing techniques within this field to present and discuss current methods for microplastic sampling, extraction and identification from environmental samples.

The agenda and copies of the presentations given on the day are now available at: http://ukmicroplasticsnetwork.co.uk/files/methods-workshop-2018/

 

The Rivers Trust Spring Conference 2018

(Posted 20 June 2018)

The conference was held in Dublin, covering how the Rivers Trust movement has grown from just a small number of community-led river associations into an internationally recognised group of environmental NGOs stretching across Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

The conference brought together old and new Rivers Trusts to discuss and learn about the formation of Rivers Trusts and the challenges that surround river catchments, as well as casting an eye into the future, exploring new opportunities and the direction of Trusts.

Examples of available presentations:

  • 24 years of river catchment management
  • Restoring rivers in England’s lowlands
  • The growth of the Ribble Rivers Trust
  • Future support for rivers trusts

http://www.theriverstrust.org/events/rivers-trust-spring-conference-2018/

 

RRC conference 2018 – Engaging with Rivers

(Posted 20 June 2018)

362 delegates, 47 engaging presentations, 5 varied workshops, 2 site visits, and the UK River Prize Awards Dinner, all packed into a 2-day event, made for a stimulating atmosphere, full of networking and learning.

Presentations included:

  • Restoring freshwater mussel rivers
  • A partnership approach to misconnections in London
  • Impact of weir removal on the foraging and activity of British bats
  • Approaching 10 years on: shedding light on stream daylighting around the world
  • Alien invaders ahead! Are you watching out for them?

See the presentations and other outputs here:

http://www.therrc.co.uk/rrc-annual-conference-2018

 

15th Europe-INBO 2017 international conference for the implementation of the European Water Directives (20–23 September 2017)

(Posted 20 June 2018)

This International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO) conference took place in Dublin, Ireland. Established within INBO in 2003 in Spain, the EUROPE-INBO Group of European Basin Organizations for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive aims at enriching the implementation of water policies in Europe, especially the Common Implementation Strategy with its practical field experience to support the European and Candidate Countries and disseminate the principles and tools of European water-related Directives. It participates in the debates on the implementation of these Directives in the European territories, including overseas lands, and in an enlarged territory especially towards the EU neighbouring partner countries in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia and the Mediterranean.

The work of the 15th international conference was organized around a preparatory workshop on the organisation of water data management and electronic reporting.

Read more here

 

Proceedings of the 22nd European Biosolids and Organic Resources Conference 2017

(Posted 20 June 2018)

Examples of available presentations:

  • Mobile sludge thickening: results from Anglian Water’s Shop Window
  • Next generation high-performance cationic dewatering flocculants
  • A solution to the grit problem: a case study in collaboration with Northumbrian Water
  • Advanced digestion – from concept to commissioning
  • Water2020 Future Strategy – thinking systematically to drive a future resilient bio-resources strategy.

Access the conference proceedings here