Solway Firth Partnership April 2016 Newsletter

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Marine Planning in NW England, New IFG Groups and Chairs set up, One Man and His Dog Walk the Coast and Litter Pick

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Next Phase of Marine Planning in North West England

News for April 2016

Consultation on Marine Planning in the North West

The Marine Management Organistaion (MMO) is developing a marine plan for the North West of England. Marine plans guide what happens in the marine area, making sure activities take place at the right time and in the right place, enabling sustainable growth. More information on the process and timetable are available here.

The MMO is seeking the public view and feedback on the draft Statement of Public Participation and the draft Sustainability Appraisal scoping report for the marine plan for the north west marine area.

The Statement of Public Participation sets out how the MMO will engage with stakeholders during the marine planning process. Stakeholder involvement in developing the marine plans is essential, with specialist and local knowledge being central to ensuring the marine plans are robust and meaningful.

The Sustainability Appraisal provides an independent assessment of the marine plans at each stage in their development, ensuring that economic, social and environmental sustainability is at the core of the marine plans. The scoping report is the first stage of the Sustainability Appraisal, setting out what issues the appraisal will consider.

Both consultations ask a short number of questions on the documents and are now open for comment by clicking on the links below.

Statement of Public Participation
Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report

Both consultations close on Friday 13 May at 11.59pm.

News Update & Events

April 2016
Tidelines spring 2016
The spring 2016 issue of Tidelines is now available. Articles range from Micro-plastics in the Solway to the results of the South Solway Coast Bird Roost Survey. To download click here

April 2016
Solway Seafood at Annan Museum
The first exhibition of 2016 at Annan Museum is “Out of the Blue – Solway Seafood”. The exhibition, which runs until 27 May, was developed by Solway Firth Partnership funded by the European Fisheries Fund and Dumfries & Galloway Council. For more information click here

May 2016
Cumbria Shore Walk with Ann Lingard
An informal walk on the Solway shore in the Allonby and Beckfoot areas. See Tidelines for more details.

Saturday 14 May 2016
Marine Alien Hunt
Join the Manx Wildlife Trust on a hunt for marine alien species. See Tidelines for more details.

New Inshore Fisheries Groups Set Up and Chairs Appointed

Inshore Fisheries Groups (IFGs) are non-statutory bodies that aim to improve the management of Scotland’s inshore fisheries out to six nautical miles, and to give commercial inshore fishermen a strong voice in wider marine management developments.

Following a review of the Inshore Fisheries Groups (IFGs) in 2015, the four mainland groups have now been merged to form two Regional IFGs with the Chairs having just been appointed. Alastair McNeill, who is currently Chair of the South West IFG, has been appointed Chair of the new West Coast RIFG.

The IFGs will now take forward and develop their respective management plans. For more information on the IFGs visit the website www.ifgs.org.uk/.

The spring IFG newsletter is now available by clicking here

One Man and His Dog Litter pick the Coast

Wayne Dixon and his dog Koda are travelling on an epic journey, walking the coast of Britain and litter-picking along the way!

The adventure started on 1 February, with Wayne and Northern Inuit dog Koda leaving Knott-end-on-Sea, Lancashire. The journey is planned to take around two years to complete, with Wayne taking a full rucksack of supplies, and camping along the way.

Wayne reached Dumfries and Galloway on Monday 25 April. He visited Gatehouse of Fleet Primary School, where Katherine from Marine Conservation Society gave a great talk, then went to Carrick Beach to litter pick helped by the school Ecoschools group, volunteers and members of Marine Conservation Society, Zero Waste Scotland and D&G Council National Scenic Areas. For more information about Wayne and his challenge click here

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