Triennial Review of the Environment Agency and Natural England
On 12 December 2012, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announcedthe start of the Triennial Review of the Environment Agency and NaturalEngland. This follows a period of informal engagement with stakeholders,which started in July.
Preliminary conclusions will be available in spring 2013.
Anyone with an interest in the Environment Agency and Natural England is invited to respond to the discussion document by 4 February 2013. The discussion and response documents and further information is available from:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/review-ea-ne/ This is part of Government’s rolling programme of triennial reviews ofNon-Departmental Public Bodies to consider whether the functions carriedout by the body are still required and whether the delivery model isright and offers value for money.
Canoe England would also be interested to receive views from members. This can be sent to
[email protected]
Marine Conservation Zones: Consultation on proposals for designation in 2013
The Environment Minister, Richard Benyon, has announced (13 December2012) the start of the public consultation on Marine Conservation Zones(MCZs). The consultation document and annexes can be viewed at http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/open/.
The public consultation will run until midnight on 31 March 2013, andwill give everyone with an interest in the marine environment theopportunity to provide more evidence on the proposed designationdecisions before they are finalised.
Canoe England would also be interested to receive views from members. This can be sent to
[email protected]
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Access Newsletter No. 50, May 2012The newsletter covers the latest position on coastal access, detailsof consultations on rights of way and National Trails, and the launch ofthe Paths for Communities scheme.
Red Tape Challenge – Water and Marine Theme
February 2012
The Government’s ‘Red Tape Challenge’ was launched in April last year toopen up Government regulation to the scrutiny and challenge of thepublic, businesses and experts. On the Red Tape Challenge website,regulations are divided into themes, each featured on the front page fora ‘spotlight’ period of around five weeks.
The Water and Marine theme will be in the spotlight from 17 Februarytill the 23 March and will include: flood and coastal erosion; waterquality; water resource; inland waterways*, fisheries and marineconservation
You can leave your comments and ideas on the regulations on the website
http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/home/index/ or send a private submission to the Red Tape Team at [email protected]
The Red Tape Challenge website is being used to gather innovative ideason how the aims of regulations can be fulfilled in the most successfuland least burdensome ways. There is no intention to reduce environmentalprotection.
Marine Strategy Framework Directive Consultation: UK Initial Assessment and proposals for Good Environmental Status
Consultation Start: 27 March 2012
Consultation End: 18 June 2012
For the UK, the directive is part of a package of policies, united by our vision for ‘clean, healthy, safe, productive, and biologically diverse oceans and seas’. The directive’s aims are consistent with this vision and current policies, such as the implementation of the Marine and Coastal Access Act, and the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy will play a major role in helping us achieve Good Environmental Status (GES).
The directive is very wide-ranging and sets out eleven descriptors of GES relating to biological diversity, non-indigenous species introductions, commercially exploited fish and shellfish populations, food webs, human-induced eutrophication, sea floor integrity, hydrographical conditions, concentrations of contaminants, contaminants in fish and other seafood, litter, and noise.
Further Information
Find more information on the MSFD including consultation Q&A and factsheets by
using this link
Kayak Recycling Project The Environment Agency is encouraging people to have their say on thefuture of water sport and leisure development in London and the SouthEast and the Midlands with the launch of public consultations for itsEnjoying Water projects.
The Environment Agency has been developing its Enjoying Water plan thataims to place the environment at the heart of future opportunities todevelop water recreation. The final plan will help decision makers suchas local authorities take an informed view on how to create, protectand improve water sports and leisure development across London and theSouth East.
In developing the plan the Environment Agency has already spoken to morethan 220 recreation users and managers of water based activities, andsites to gather their views, and is now encouraging anyone else with aninterest in water sports and leisure pursuits to visit www.brighton.ac.uk/waterrecreation/ and comment on the findings and opinions already expressed. The consultation is open from 5 July until 30 September 2010.
Strategic Plans for the South West England, East of England and NorthWest of England have also been produced by consultants from theUniversity of Brighton and are available from www.brighton.ac.uk/waterrecreation/.
A New Era for the Waterways Consultation – DEFRA