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Marine Life & Conservation

Marine unProtected Areas: UK’s damaged seas still missing crucial protection

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Broken promises by UK Government leaves England’s seabed MPAs at risk

  • Over 5,000 hours of fishing in Dogger Bank MPA in the last year
  • 10 Minute Rule on bottom-trawling in MPAs on 1st March by Chris Grayling MP

The Marine Conservation Society’s analysis of fishing activity in Marine Protected Areas over the last year highlights the urgent need for protection of England’s seas in more than name.

A slew of broken promises and delayed actions are putting our seas at risk as damaging fishing continues to degrade England’s fragile seabed habitats.

The Marine Conservation Society is calling for the public’s support in banning damaging fishing, like bottom trawling, from England’s offshore MPAs designed to protect the seabed.

On 1st February 2021, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) launched a public consultation on a proposed byelaw. This byelaw would protect the Dogger Bank Marine Protected Area (MPA), alongside three other sites, from bottom-towed fishing gear. Usually these are passed within 12 months by the Secretary of State. Yet over one year later, no management measures have been put in place.

Dr Jean-Luc Solandt, Principal Specialist in MPAs at the Marine Conservation Society said: “There is no sign of the promised timetable to ensure management for England’s entire list of 40 offshore MPAs. At current rates, it will take over a decade to get management in place. MPAs are currently a lie. For the sake of humanity, society, climate, food security, clean waters and indeed the law – we need action immediately.

On 1st March 2022, Chris Grayling MP will raise a 10 Minute Rule motion in Parliament calling for fast-paced action from Government. Grayling will propose a bill to ban bottom trawling in MPAs, except for in exceptional circumstances, within 12 months.

The 10 Minute Rule illustrates support within the Conservative party and beyond for action on Marine Protected Areas. But while further delays are faced, damaging fishing activities, like bottom trawling, continue to degrade fragile seabed habitats.

The Marine Conservation Society’s analysis of fishing activity in Dogger Bank over the last year found fishing activity, like bottom trawling, had increased fivefold compared to historical rates. While the site’s protection was being discussed, it was in fact even more exploited.

Dogger Bank MPA has the capacity to store the most carbon of all English MPAs – equivalent to 2.5 million return trips from London to Sydney.

While bottom-towed fishing gear is still permitted in sites like Dogger Bank, more carbon is released from the seabed into the ocean, reducing its ability to buffer the effects of climate change. Since 1st February 2021, Dogger Bank has experienced 5,055 hours* of fishing, including bottom trawling.

Located about 120 kilometres east of Hull, Dogger Bank has been heavily fished for decades. Authorities first recognised the need for better protections in 2011, but failed to act.

Frith Dunkley, MPA Researcher at the Marine Conservation Society said: “In the year since this byelaw banning bottom-towed fishing gear from Dogger Bank MPA was proposed, the sandbank habitat and the species it was designated to protect have continued to be damaged by fishing activity, degrading marine life and removing ecologically important species such as sandeels.

“At 5 times the size of the Lake District National Park, Dogger Bank could be the first large offshore Marine Protected Area in England where a ban on damaging fishing methods is put in place. Mussels, oysters, fish, seabirds, whales, dolphins, seals and more would all benefit from the proposed management measures. It’s time for them to actually be put into action!

Dr Solandt said: “Government inaction on marine protection goes beyond Dogger Bank. As of late 2021, just 6% of England’s Marine Protected Areas, designated to protect the seabed, are legally protected from damaging fishing activity, like bottom trawling. There have been countless international commitments to deliver well-managed protected areas across Europe since 2010. But here we are, 12 years on, with little to show for it.”

To read the Marine Conservation Society’s 2021 Marine unProtected Areas report, and learn more about fishing in Marine Protected Areas, please visit the charity’s website.

Marine Life & Conservation

12 Days of Zero-Waste Fish-mas

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marine conservation society

This holiday period, the Marine Conservation Society, the UK’s leading ocean membership charity, invites you to make some simple changes to eating fish this Christmas to help our seas.

Dr Kenneth Bodles, Head of Fisheries and Aquaculture at the Marine Conservation Society, said, “During the festive season, our consumption increases, but so does waste. Sustainability isn’t just about where food comes from – it’s also about how you use it. By reducing waste and making the most out of your seafood, you’re not only taking steps to be more ocean-friendly, but can also help to cut costs during what is often one of the most expensive times of the year”.

The Marine Conservation Society has compiled twelve tips on how to consume seafood sustainably with zero-waste this Christmas:

Buy whole fish instead of fillets

Instead of fillets, consider buying whole fish such as salmon, hake, or lemon sole. By adopting a “nose to tail” approach with cooking, whole-baked fish not only feeds a crowd, but also helps to minimise waste and maximise sustainability by using up every part of the animal, including bones, skin, and fat.

Make fish stock

Leftover fish bones or shells can be put to good use by boiling them to make a nourishing fish stock or bisque. This can be frozen and preserved for later use and makes for a flavourful base in a soup.

Make your own fish pâté

Avoid waste by turning leftover fish, such as smoked mackerel or salmon, into a delicious pâté by blending with cream cheese and lemon. Perfect when paired with crackers.

The sustainability of salmon and mackerel varies depending on where and how it is caught or farmed. For more information on green-rated options, check the charity’s Good Fish Guide.

Buy frozen

By purchasing seafood that is frozen or vacuum-packed, this helps to reduce waste by extending the shelf life of your food.

Fish pie

If you’re wondering what to do with leftover cooked fish, why not opt for a classic fish pie with mashed potatoes, leeks, and a cheesy sauce? A sure crowd pleaser on Boxing Day.

Use the head

Don’t forget the fish head! The meat is incredibly tender and flavourful. The charity recommends a cod’s head curry or recreating Fallow’s renowned cod’s head in siracha butter.

By stretching your ingredients further, not only is this a more sustainable way to enjoy seafood, but also cost-effective by repurposing leftovers and cooking creatively.

Boxing Day brunch

Mix leftover kippers or smoked salmon with scrambled eggs for a tasty, zero-waste, Boxing Day brunch.

For best choice, make sure you buy kippers, or herring, from the North Sea and the North Irish Sea.

Zero-waste storage

A top tip from the Marine Conservation Society to avoid waste is freezing fish offcuts to save for future use.

Crisp up the skin

Even leftover fish skin can be turned into a quick savoury snack by crisping it up in an air fryer with a little olive oil and salt.

Anchovies two ways

Leftover anchovies can either be blended with butter to make a delicious anchovy butter or tossed into pasta for a hit of umami flavour.

The charity recommends opting for anchovies caught in the Bay of Biscay for best choice.

Fishcakes

For an easy, zero-waste meal, leftover seafood trimmings can be mixed with mash and fried in breadcrumbs to make fishcakes.

Pickled mussels

Try pickling mussels in 1:1 vinegar and water, with a dash of sugar for a sustainable, zero-waste snack that can be enjoyed well beyond the festive season.

Mussels farmed in the UK are a seafood superhero. Grown using low-impact methods and harvested by hand, they get all the food they need from the sea around them. This makes them one of the most sustainable, ocean-friendly, and cost-effective seafood options.

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised £6.6M towards the Marine Conservation Society’s vital work in making seafood more sustainable.

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Fish is a festive favourite for many, but making sustainable choices when it comes to how we buy and eat seafood makes all the difference for our ocean. Support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery has helped the Marine Conservation Society further its sustainable seafood work, so that we can all enjoy healthier, better protected seas.”

The Marine Conservation Society encourages you to make sustainable seafood choices a year-round habit, not just for Christmas. To check how sustainable the seafood on your plate is, you can visit the charity’s Good Fish Guide. The Guide helps consumers and businesses identify the most sustainable seafood using a simple traffic light system, based on where and how species are caught or farmed. Green is the best choice, amber means improvements are needed, and red indicates fish to avoid buying.

Zero-waste gift idea

Why not embrace a zero-waste Christmas by gifting a membership to support marine conservation? It’s a meaningful, low-waste gift that helps protect our ocean for generations to come. Memberships start from as little as £5 a month – the price of a sandwich and drink from your local coffee shop.

Find the latest sustainable seafood advice for wild-caught and farmed seafood on the Good Fish Guide, downloadable to your phone from www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide.

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Marine Life & Conservation

Shark Trust launches Oceanic 31 Shark Art Auction

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After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.

People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:

https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction

It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.

The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.

One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.

Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:

https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24

Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.

Find out more here:

https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31

 Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”

Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction


Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden

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