The Marine Conservation Society is the UK’s leading marine charity. We work to ensure our seas are healthy, pollution free and protected.
Our seas are under immense pressure: too many fish are being taken out, too much rubbish is being thrown in and too little is being done to protect our precious wildlife. Our vision is for seas full of life where nature flourishes and people thrive.
Every day millions of microplastics enter the sea from personal care products such as scrubs and toothpastes
Since the carrier bag charge came in across the UK, the Great British Beach Clean has recorded almost 50% fewer bags on beaches
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Good Fish Guide
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15 European countries have agreed to develop a ‘blueprint’ for native oyster reef restoration at a conference in Edinburgh. Native oysters were wiped out by overfishing as much as a century ago from seas around countries including Sweden, France, Germany, England, Wales, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Croatia and Scotland.
New measures covering the sale of plastic straws, drinks stirrers and cotton bud sticks will come into force in England next April. Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, said a recent consultation revealed “overwhelming” public support for the move. MCS Head of Clean Seas, Dr Laura Foster, says further action by retailers and government is now required to reflect the changing public mood.
Loch Carron on Scotland’s north west coast has been granted permanent Marine Protected Area’ status. Its flameshell and maerl beds will now be allowed to recover after scallop dredging damaged the area in 2017. MCS hopes this will be a springboard to urgently needed improvements to fisheries management and protection of all Scotland’s inshore waters.
The 12-week consultation on the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has now closed and our Bottles For Change campaign gathered tremendous public support to introduce the best system possible.
The UK’s failure to protect and restore our seas has been condemned by Environment Links UK, a major coalition of conservation and environmental groups, including the Marine Conservation Society.
The Scottish Government has confirmed the country’s Deposit Return Scheme will include glass, cans and some plastic containers - tetrapaks and pouches aren’t initially included. MCS has called on Michael Gove to introduce the same in England and urged Welsh Local Authorities not to resist a similar scheme
To mark Mental Health Awareness week, MCS Ocean Ambassador and Paralympic Gold Medalist Susie Rodgers MBE, talks to us about what the sea means to her and how her connection to the ocean has helped her through some of the toughest times in her life.
The BBC’s Blue Planet Live (BBC1 Sunday 24th March 8pm) is an ambitious week of programming looking at all aspects of our oceans and the work being done by scientists worldwide, to secure the future of some of our most iconic marine creatures. We look back at some of the breath-taking highlights of the first programme.
Did you know that one in 11 species in Scotland is at risk of extinction? Environment and conservation are devolved issues and right now the Scottish Government is seeking views on the future of environmental protections in Scotland.
MCS Fisheries Policy Officer, Debbie Crockard, reflects on the choppy waters surrounding the new Fisheries Minister, Robert Goodwill, as the House of Lords attacks unsustainable fishing levels in the EU.
What a week! From Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon posting our inflatable Leatherback Turtle on Instagram, to HRH Prince Charles encouraging everyone to take part in the Great British Beach Clean in a key note address, it was fantastic to see the recognition of MCS and our incredible volunteers at Scotland’s first International Marine Conference.
Fisheries management is never straight forward – particularly for the many mixed fisheries in Wales. But post–Brexit, we should be able to build on what we already have as part of the EU says MCS leads on fisheries and Wales, Sam Stone and Gill Bell.
The Marine Conservation Society has warned Welsh Local Authorities and elements within government that they will be failing young people if they refuse to back a money-back recycling system which encourages consumers to return their empty glass and plastic bottles and cans.
The CEO of the UK’s leading marine conservation charity, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), has urged Michael Gove to follow the example set by Scotland today in designing an ambitious all-inclusive money-back recycling system for bottles and cans.
Norfolk’s Marine Conservation Zone has been brought to life with salty tales and beach trips for a nearby primary school. As part of the MCS led Agents of Change project, fishermen visited the school, whilst the pupils carried out beach cleaning and lug worm digging - all within a stones throw of Europe’s most extensive chalk reef.
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) says it’s delighted to welcome celebrity chef, Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL, as the charity’s latest Ocean Ambassador.
The UK’s leading marine charity, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) says it is disappointed that not one single UK fishery has moved off its Good Fish Guide ‘Fish to Avoid’ list in its most recent ratings update.
Wales’ leading marine charity has taken a deposit return machine into the Senedd to give Assembly Members the opportunity to see how a deposit return scheme (DRS) could work.
15 European countries have agreed to develop a ‘blueprint’ for native oyster reef restoration at a conference in Edinburgh. Native oysters were wiped out by overfishing as much as a century ago from seas around countries including Sweden, France, Germany, England, Wales, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Croatia and Scotland.
New measures covering the sale of plastic straws, drinks stirrers and cotton bud sticks will come into force in England next April. Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, said a recent consultation revealed “overwhelming” public support for the move. MCS Head of Clean Seas, Dr Laura Foster, says further action by retailers and government is now required to reflect the changing public mood.
Loch Carron on Scotland’s north west coast has been granted permanent Marine Protected Area’ status. Its flameshell and maerl beds will now be allowed to recover after scallop dredging damaged the area in 2017. MCS hopes this will be a springboard to urgently needed improvements to fisheries management and protection of all Scotland’s inshore waters.
To mark Mental Health Awareness week, MCS Ocean Ambassador and Paralympic Gold Medalist Susie Rodgers MBE, talks to us about what the sea means to her and how her connection to the ocean has helped her through some of the toughest times in her life.
The 12-week consultation on the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has now closed and our Bottles For Change campaign gathered tremendous public support to introduce the best system possible.
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