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News items


New Edition of Tidelines

The latest edition of Tidelines available is Issue 30, November 2008.  Download this and its E-On insert, plus previous issues, from our downloads page. Tidelines is the newsletter of the Solway Firth Partnership and is available free by post, or we can email it directly to you. To receive Tidelines please contact us at info@solwayfirthpartnership.co.uk and let us know how you would like to receive Tidelines (by post or electronically).


Calling all Volunteers!

If you have a few hours to spare a week, or just an odd day here and there, we have plenty of opportunities for Volunteers to help with the vital work of preserving and promoting the beautiful and unique environment of the Solway Firth. 

Solway Firth Partnership are looking for volunteers to help at their office in Dumfries in a varied range of interesting projects, such as help organising our many events (World Oceans Day, Environment Fair, Conference etc), the production of Tidelines and many other aspects of our work promoting the sustainable management of the Solway Firth.  Computer skills would be great but not essential. Please contact us for more information.

Solway Coast AONB have a full agenda of volunteering opportunities such as stile installation and beach litter picking for January and February to help with the management of the Cumbrian side of the Solway. Contact GraemeProud for more information.

Dumfries and Galloway National Scenic Area are also looking for volunteers to help withtheir programmes of tree planting, path maintainence and other vital work to help with the managemnt and maintainence of the northern coast of the Solway. Contact Ian Brown for more information.  November's NSAVolunteer Newsletter is also available on our Downloads page.


Solway Firth Partnership Conference and AGM 2008

The Solway Firth Partnership's 2008 Conference and AGM was held in Carlisle at the Learning Gateway, the University of Cumbria Fusehill Street Campus on 21st November 2008. The Unnatural History of the Sea, the Keynote address by Professor Callum Roberts, Professor of Marine Conservation, University of York was followed by the Manx Scallop Fishery and the Impact of Closed Areas by Thomas Bryan-Brown of the Manx Fish Producers’ Organisation and then Chris Lumb of Natural England presented Identifying Marine Conservation Zones in the Irish Sea. 

A full report of the AGM and Conference will be available on our website shortly.


Scottish Marine Bill Consulatation

The Scottish Marine Bill Consultation is now closed.   The following links contain further information:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/07/14101129

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/07/11100221/0

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/16440/marine-bill-consultation


SFP host Marine Bill Consultation at Easterbrook Hall

The SFP hosted the Scottish Government's Consultation on Scotland's first Marine Bill  on 12th September at Easterbrook Hall.  A panel of Scottish Government and Defra representatives gave presentations on the background and implementation of the Bill, and the wide range of areas that the Bill aims to represent - planning, licensing, conservation, scientific data and management of the seas through Marine Scotland.

In the afternoon, 3 focus groups gave Delegates the opportunity to comment on various aspects on the Bill.  A wide range of comments were raised, broadly in support of the Bill and its aims, and with constructive comments about issues such as its implementation, the use of local knowledge combined with scientific data, and how the Scottish and UK Bills will operate effectively in the unique cross-border environment of the Solway Firth.

All of these comments have been recorded and will be sent to the Scottish Government as part of the Consultation process, and copies of the report are available on our downloads page.  The Consultation is now closed.


Electrofishing

There have been concerns that electrofishing for razorshells has been taking place in the Solway Firth.  Electrofishing applies an electric current to the sea bed, causing the razorfish to ‘jump’ out of their protective seabed environment and so making them available for harvest by waiting boats.  Whilst some consider electrofishing to be minimally invasive, highly specific and with little impact on neighbouring biota and habitats, it is currently illegal to use electrical stimuli for fishing in European Waters (Council Regulation (EC) 580/1998, article 31).  Electrical currents used in excess can kill other marine life, and there are reports of dead fish floating on the water in areas where electrofishing has been carried out.  Additionally, electrofishing may incapacitate non-target marine life making it vulnerable to predation.  Of particular concerns is the effect of electrofishing in areas where there are populations of electrically sensitive fish such as sharks, skates and rays.  And there are also considerable Health and Safety issues in areas where recreational water sports, such as SCUBA diving, are carried out.  There is currently insufficient data to assess the environmental impact of razorfishing.  Whilst it remains an illegal practice, any records or sightings of electrofishing for razor fish or any other species should be reported on the 'Report Suspicious Activity' facility on the Scottish Fisheries Protection website http://www.sfpa.gov.uk/suspicious.asp, or phoned in directly to 0845 270 3990. Both routes can be done anonymously.