Policy paper: Water abstraction plan 2017

Updated: Updated to include the first four Initial Priority Catchments: Idle & Torne in East Midlands, The South Forty Foot in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire (also known as The Black Sluice), East Suffolk in East Anglia and Cam & Ely Ouse in East Anglia.

These documents set out what the government is doing to reform the management of water abstraction. They summarise how we will work with abstractors to make these changes.

The abstraction plan document summarises all the changes we plan to make. It should be read alongside the more detailed documents covering environment, catchment focus and abstraction licensing service.




News story: Fishing boat skipper gets suspended sentence for running his vessel aground off Plymouth

Michael Kinnaird, had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges at Plymouth magistrates court on 6 December, which related to an incident on October.
It was shortly after 8.45pm on 7 October 2017, that Mr Kinnaird’s vessel, a 21metre trawler FV Algrie left its moorings at Sutton Harbour. It then continued out of the harbour entrance but did not alter course into the shipping channel.

Instead, the FV Algrie kept a steady course at seven knots before running aground at Mountbatten Breakwater. None of the five crew on board was injured and there was no reported pollution as a result.
Minor damage was caused to the vessel and it was recovered back to its moorings on the next high tide.
When interviewed by MCA Enforcement Officers, Mr Kinnaird said he had navigated into and out of the harbour hundreds of times, but on this occasion, became confused when he saw lights from anglers who were fishing from the breakwater. He was asked why he didn’t reduce his speed or reverse, use his navigation aids or even his spot light but he could give no answer.

Mr. Kinnaird was sentenced to a total of four months imprisonment which has been suspended for two years. He was also ordered to pay costs of £5000 and £115 victim surcharge.
In passing sentence, District Judge Taylor said that alcohol did affect Mr Kinnaird’s actions that night and he didn’t accept his explanation about being confused by the lights on the breakwater.
Ian Blair, technical manager from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s marine office at Plymouth said, ‘Preparing a comprehensive passage plan and maintaining a safe and proper navigational watch at all times, by use of all available means, is of paramount importance in order to prevent incidents such as this from occurring.’




Consultation outcome: Contracts for Difference (CfD): proposed amendments to the scheme

Updated: Part B of government response published, along with follow-up consultation.

We’re seeking views on proposed amendments the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, which provides support for new low carbon electricity generation projects, to enable it to continue to support new generation and provide best value for bill payers in coming years.

Government aims to support the development of onshore wind projects on remote islands, where they benefit local communities. This consultation sets out a proposed definition of remote islands wind, as a new technology that can compete in future auctions for ‘less established’ technologies. An impact assessment is published regarding this proposal.

The responses to the Call for Evidence on fuelled technologies in the CfD scheme, published in November 2016, have informed the development of a number of policy changes relating to fuelled technologies. This consultation proposes:

  • refinements in relation to Advanced Conversion Technologies, to ensure that only more innovative and efficient plants are awarded subsidy
  • changes to the overall efficiency requirements for Combined Heat and Power, to ensure that CfD supported plants are of a suitably high overall efficiency;an impact assessment is being published regarding this proposal
  • updated greenhouse gas emissions criteria that new projects using solid and gaseous biomass as feedstock will have to comply with

The consultation also makes new proposals to facilitate more accurate forecasting of budget spend, and invites views on various other potential changes to the detailed terms of new CfD contracts.

As part of this consultation, stakeholder engagement events were held in Glasgow, Cardiff and London. The questions raised and points of clarification on the proposed changes are answered in the Stakeholder Q&A.




National Statistics: Monthly sea fisheries statistics October 2017

The monthly landings statistics will be released at 9.30am on the 4th Friday of each month, or the next working day if this is a bank holiday.




News story: Hilary Florek appointed Chair of the Marine Management Organisation

The Environment Secretary Michael Gove has appointed Hilary Florek as the Chair of the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).

Hilary joins the MMO with a wealth of knowledge from previous board-level appointments, recently serving as Chairman of the Port of Tyne Board of Directors from 2014-2017. She is a strategic communications and marketing specialist with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors.

Hilary will join the MMO as a member of the Board from 1 January 2018 and formally take over her duties as Chair on completion of the Board meeting on 8 February 2018. Her appointment is for three years. She will be paid £40,459 per annum based on eight days work a month.

The MMO is an executive non-departmenttal public body established in April 2010 and given powers under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. Its mission is to enable the sustainable development of our seas. It carries out a wide range of activities such as marine planning, marine licensing and work related to nature conservation and fisheries management.

Hilary Florek, Chair of the Marine Management Organisation, said:

I am delighted to be taking up this appointment as Chair of the MMO and looking forward to working with the team at an exciting and challenging time for the organisation.

Hilary succeeds the Outgoing Chair, Sir Bill Callaghan, who was appointed on 1 May 2011.

Sir Bill Callaghan said:

I am delighted that Hilary has been appointed as my successor. Her wide range of experience and skills will be a valuable asset to the MMO.

The recruitment was carried out in accordance with the ‘Ministerial Code of Practice for Appointments to Public Bodies’. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, there is a requirement for the political activities of appointees to be made public. Hilary Florek has not declared any significant activity.

Biographical details:

Hilary Florek is a strategic communications and marketing specialist with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. Having initially joined the Port of Tyne Board of Directors in 2008, she was Deputy Chairman for over three years before taking on the position of Chairman from 2014-2017.

Previously PR and Communications Director for the Vaux Group PLC, she established her own marketing consultancy, HFPR Ltd, in 2000. She currently serves on the Board of social housing association, Karbon Homes, the Board of North East Access to Finance and she is also a Trustee of the North Music Trust at the Sage, Gateshead. She is also a Director of the BE-UK Employee Ownership Trust Co Limited.

Hilary has served as non-executive director on the boards of the Community Foundation for Tyne & Wear and Northumberland and the County Durham Foundation. She is a former Trustee of the Sunderland Youth Enterprise Trust and was a Board Member of Project North East.