Following the success of highlighting the issues of unsustainable fishing practices, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall last night launched his new ‘Save our Seas’ campaign. This campaign moves beyond fish and highlights the need for better protection for the marine environment through a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) across the world’s oceans and seas. Hugh’s programme highlighted the benefits for those fishing…

After a week where pollution of our marine environment has been so much in the news, I was shocked to read that DEFRA appear to be resisting the plastic bag levy for England.  After previously making encouraging noises about introducing a charge for these wildlife-killers, Richard Benyon has now said it 'may not be the best option' due to pressures on household budgets.

Billions of plastic bags are discarded…

This has been a significant week for our marine environment.

Yesterday MEPs voted on the future of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).  We are delighted that they overwhelmingly voted in favour of the proposed reforms.  We believe the reform will pave the way to the restoration of fish stocks, a healthier marine environment, and a better future for fishermen. 

Dr Euan Dunn, our head of marine policy said:

“The European Parliament…

As Martin Harper talks about in his blog today, MEPs are in Strasbourg today to vote on the future of the Common Fisheries Policy.

The proposal on the table is remarkably ambitious.  This vote is the best chance yet of getting better management of our seas – better for fishermen and better for our marine wildlife.

Today is your last chance to influence this vote – show your support now at www.paintafish.…

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have given us the following update about the sticky man-made mineral oil that has been such a disaster for so many seabirds:

“The analysis of the material affecting seabirds along the south coast of England has shown that it is a mineral oil. The material is odourless and of low toxicity. To date the whitish material has only appeared on the coastline as a coating on seabirds…

The above map shows the approximate locations of birds found affected by the sticky mineral oil, with the hotspot at Portland/Ferrybridge/east end of Chesil highlighted by the red star.  Only locations are shown; there is no attempt to show numbers of birds reported from the various locations, but it demonstrates the wide spread of shore locations of affected birds.

Adam Grogan from RSPCA also  told us that he received…

Today the RSPCA at West Hatch reported that they have now received a total of 301 live casualties:

• 280 guillemots
• 21 razorbills

Of these, 39 could not be saved, the remainder are still in care.  Efforts are concentrated on rescuing live birds, but the RSPCA have also collected approximately 40 dead birds, and sighted an estimated 85-90 that were inaccessible.

The majority of the birds the RSPCA are caring for…

We have some latest news from the RSPCA at West Hatch wildlife centre. 

RSPCA inspectors are continuing to rescue sea birds covered in the man made sticky mineral oil.  The total number of birds at the centre is:

• 236 guillimots
• 1 herring gull 
• 17 razor bills.

The vast majority were admitted from Dorset - mainly Chesil Beach, near Portland but also a few from Weymouth, a couple from the Isle of Wight and one from…

RSPCA

We are continuing to receive reports of seabirds covered in a sticky wax-like substance being sighted off, or washed up on the South and South West coasts of England.  The situation is still far from clear, but here is what we know so far:

What is the sticky substance, and where has it come from?

Results from the sampling by the Environment Agency show the pollutant is a refined mineral based oil mixture…

Hundreds of seabirds continue to be washed up along the south coast of England covered in  an unidentified sticky waxy substance.  They are mostly guillemots, and have been discovered on beaches from Hampshire to Cornwall.  Many have been found distressed but fortunately alive, but sadly this morning we have received reports that 20 dead birds were washed up on Chesil beach in Dorset.

We are currently working with other…

Parliamentary Assistant, Allan Whyte, gives us an update on the campaign to protect seabirds and other marine life in Scotland.

We’re all  on the sea's side

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for your continued support for the Scottish  Marine Protected Areas campaign. Together, we can ensure that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Scotland protect our marine wildlife. We have been overwhelmed by…

Picture: Swansea Marina  -Gareth Cunningham

Yesterday saw the official launch of the Welsh Assembly’s committee inquiry report into the way Welsh Government has managed the Welsh marine area to date. The inquiry, which the RSPB gave evidence too, made some strong recommendations to Welsh Government.

The report highlighted some concerns over Welsh Government’s delivery of key legislation, including the Marine…

By Euan Dunn, Head of Marine Policy

Want to help restore the life to our seas?  Then show MEPs your support today by contributing to a virtual fish stock.

Overfishing is damaging the marine environment and threatens the coastal communities that depend on fishing. Europe’s fish stocks are in a worse shape than many others in the world, with on average two-thirds considered overfished. Europe has lost around a…

www.youtube.com/watch

A great video from the Marine Conservation Society.  Very simple, very short, but very to the point. 

2013 is going to be an important year for marine wildlife all around the UK.  As we reported on this blog last month, current proposals for marine protected areas in both England and Scotland are woefully inadequate. 

Sign our E-petition for Scotland today, and watch this space for news on how to…

Stuart Housden, Director of RSPB Scotland, on the Scottish Government's plans for Marine Protected Areas.

Marine Protected Areas 'must do better' for Scotland's sealife

If London’s streets were said to be paved with gold, Scotland’s riches come in a more liquid form.  Throughout our history, Scotland’s seas have been the place to make fortunes: from the boom years of commercial fishing, through…

Then what is 31 out of 127?

The answer is, frankly, dreadful.

The long-awaited, considerably delayed proposals for the protection of England’s coasts and seas were unveiled today.  Of 127 sites proposed for protection, only “up to”’ 31 are recommended for designation in 2013, and there appears to be no clear commitment to any further rounds of designation.

This falls pitifully short of the…

Whilst England has been building up to a consultation on its 127 sites later this year,Wales has already consulted on a different approach to Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). The approach taken was to designate just 3 or 4 small sites, which would be highly protected (hpMCZs)

Broadly speaking we were disappointed with the approach put forwards by Welsh Government. Whilst we support the designation of hpMCZs, they…

Today we are featuring a guest blog from marine & coastal ecology expert and TV presenter, Maya Plass. Find out what amazing creatures are hiding beneath the waves!

Maya Plass on our brilliant seas

Last week I had the pleasure of a shore dive in our UK waters. My eyes feasted on all the stunning sights around me – Cushion Stars decorated a rocky reef and Corkwing Wrasse darted in and out of view using the swaying…

Actually I think that should be 300 cheers.  At least.  Here’s why......

Esther Ford (pictured above, cycling in Norway) took part in Race for Nature, our first virtual balloon race.  She evidently chose just the right combination of puff and balloon thickness, as her balloon travelled the furthest, eventually popping 322 miles away near Gastines in north-west France.  That was over 100 miles more than the other…

A trip to one of Scotland’s many seabird colonies is an unforgettable experience. Whether viewing from a clifftop vantage point or out on a little boat bobbing alongside an island teeming with squawking, swooping seabirds, you can’t help but be impressed by the variety and sheer number of birds.

However, over the last 20 years, this remarkable wildlife spectacle has been diminishing. A visit can still inspire…

Yesterday the EU announced that nearly 25,000 km² of invaluable natural space on land and water have been added to the Natura 2000 network this year. Every square kilometre helps protect our wildlife, so every one added is a bit of good news! 

This means that Natura 2000 now covers more than 217,000 km² of Europe’s seas.  This is approximately 4% (an improvement, but still not enough to make an ecologically coherent…

After 11 years of hard campaigning, at last the European Commission has launched a Plan of Action to reduce seabird bycatch (when seabirds get caught in fishing gear and drown).  They committed to doing this way back in 2001, and we’ve been on their case since to get it in place.

Sadly, we estimate that over two million seabirds have died in the mean time, caught in the fishing gears of vessels in EU waters alone…

Tomorrow is your last chance to snap up a balloon to take part in the first RSPB Race for Nature. 

This is a virtual balloon race, where you get all the fun of selecting and puffing up your balloon (without getting out of breath!), and then finding out how far and where your balloon will go. 

Come to think of it, this is the only type of balloon race where you definitely find out what happens to your balloon!  Most real…

Following up from our blog last week, we were relieved to learn that The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has been saved.  The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has scrapped its plans for a merger between BAS and the National Oceanography Centre.

We joined with Greenpeace, WWF-UK and Friends of the Earth, together with many senior scientists and MPs to strongly oppose the merger.

Our chief concern was the proposed…

Yesterday we talked about the proposed merger between the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and National Oceanography Centre.  Great news - this potentially disasterous proposal has been dropped.  We are busy analysing the ministerial statement, and will bring you more details next week.  But you can do some celebrating this weekend!