Boating, swimming and other sea-based activities are now allowed once again in England under the new Government guidelines, but, now more than ever people need to respect the coastline.

In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales the lockdown remains and people should continue to follow the guidance to stay home.

Swimming in the sea is now allowed as daily exercise in England along with paddle boarding, surfing, windsurfing, rowing, kayaking and canoeing. Sailing and owners of private boats may also go out onto the water.

But while people are allowed to go out on and in the water, they need to make sure they are safe and protected. Those with private boats and yachts should carry out all the usual safety checks and make sure they have a way to contact HM Coastguard if they get into difficulty, as should everyone visiting the coast and beaches.

In addition, the Government guidelines around social distancing should continue to be observed by everyone in the UK.

Claire Hughes, director of HM Coastguard said: ‘In England, now more than ever, people need to respect the sea and the coast. Whether you’re local or not, whatever your ability or experience in your chosen sport or leisure activity, the sea can still catch you out and be unmerciful when it does.’

‘The majority of beaches will not be lifeguarded. If you get into trouble call 999 and ask for the Coastguard and we will come to your aid. But coronavirus hasn’t gone away and we all need to follow the rules. Remember your choices might put people, including yourself and frontline responders, at risk. Take extra care in these extraordinary times.’

In England #StayAlert In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, nothing has changed. Give the coast a miss. #StayHomeSaveLives

For the latest advice and guidance on accessing green spaces please see here.

During April, there were zero new detentions of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port.

1. In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson’s inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping, and in compliance with the EU Directive on Port State Control (2009/16/EC as amended), the Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) publishes details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.

2. The UK is part of a regional agreement on port state control known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MOU) and information on all ships that are inspected is held centrally in an electronic database known as THETIS. This allows the ships with a high risk rating and poor detention records to be targeted for future inspection.

3. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. When a ship is found to be not in compliance with applicable convention requirements, a deficiency may be raised. If any of their deficiencies are so serious, they have to be rectified before departure, then the ship will be detained.

4. All deficiencies should be rectified before departure.

5. When applicable, the list includes those passenger craft prevented from operating under the provisions of the EU Directive on a system of inspections for the safe operation of Ro-Ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft in regular service and amending directive 2009/16/EC and repealing Council Directive 1999/35/EC (Directive EU 2017/2110).

Notes on the list of detentions:

• Full details of the ship: The accompanying detention list shows ship’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) number which is unchanging throughout the ship’s life and uniquely identifies it. It also shows the ship’s name and flag state at the time of its inspection.
• Company: The company shown in the vessel’s Safety Management Certificate (SMC) or if there is no SMC, then the party otherwise believed to be responsible for the safety of the ship at the time of inspection.
• Classification society: The list shows the classification society responsible for classing the ship only.
• Recognised organisation: Responsible for conducting the statutory surveys: and issuing statutory certificates on behalf of the flag state.
• White (WL), grey (GL) and black lists (BL) are issued by the Paris MoU on 01 July each year and shows the performance of flag state.
• Deficiencies: The deficiencies listed are the ones which were detainable. Further details of other deficiencies can be provided on request.

SHIPS DETAINED IN APRIL 2020

DETENTIONS CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS

Vessel Name: LIVA GRETA

GT: 851

IMO: 8801072

Flag: Lativa (white list)

Company: Liepajas Trading & Shipping Agency Ltd

Classification society: RINA

Recognised organisation: RINA

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 11th January 2020 at Birkenhead

Summary: Nine deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
11113 – Launching arrangements for rescue boats	Inoperative	Yes
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 30th April 2020

Vessel Name: KUZMA MININ

GT: 16257

IMO: 7721263

Flag: Russian Federation (Grey list)

Company: Murmansk Shipping Co

Classification society: RMRS

Recognised organisation: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 18th December 2018 at Falmouth

Summary: Thirteen deficiencies with six grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Expired	Yes
18314 – Provisions quantity	Insufficient	Yes
01139 – Maritime Labour Certificate	Expired	Yes
01101 – Cargo Ship Safety Equipment (including exemption)	Survey out of window	Yes
10104 – Gyro compass	Inoperative	Yes
01104 – Cargo Ship Safety Radio 9 (including exemption)	Survey out of window	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 30th April 2020

Vessel Name: POSEIDON

GT: 1412

IMO: 7363217

Flag: Iceland (White list)

Company: Neptune EHF

Classification society: NA

Recognised organisation: NA

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: DNV-GL

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: DNV-GL

Date and place of detention: 19th July 2018 at Hull

Summary: Ten deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
02106 – Hull damage impairing seaworthiness	Holed	Yes
07113 – Fire Pumps	Insufficient Pressure	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 30th April 2020

Vessel Name: TECOIL POLARIS

GT: 1814

IMO No: 8883290

Flag: Russian Federation (Grey list)

Company: Tecoil Shipping Ltd

Classification society: RMRS

Recognised organisation: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM DOC: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 6th June 2018 at Immingham

Summary: Twenty-seven deficiencies with eight grounds for detentions

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
10105 – Magnetic compass	Inoperative	Yes
10104 – Gyro compass	Inoperative	Yes
11129 – Operational readiness of lifesaving appliances	Not as required	Yes
10127 – Voyage or passage plan	Not as required	Yes
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes
11104 – Rescue boats	Not properly maintained	Yes
11101 – Lifeboats	Not ready for use	Yes
01117 – International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP)	Invalid	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 30th April 2020

Vessel Name: CIEN PORCIENTO (General Cargo)

GT: 106.

IMO No: 8944446.

Flag: Unregistered.

Company: Open Window Inc.

Classification society: Unclassed.

Recognised organisation: Not applicable.

Recognised organisation for ISM DOC: Not applicable.

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: Not applicable

Date and place of detention: 4 March 2010, Lowestoft

Summary: Thirty deficiencies including seven grounds for detention

This vessel was still detained on 30th April 2020

Notes to Editors • The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities. Sea Vision promotes the importance and economic value of the sector and works to highlight the exciting range of activities and career opportunities available to young people within the UK growing maritime sector.

• Follow us on Twitter: @MCA_media

For further information please contact Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on: +44 (0) 2380 329 401 Press releases and further information about the agency is available here.

We, the Diplomatic Missions of Albania, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, as well as the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, the EU Delegation to the International Organisations in Vienna, UN GLOBE Vienna and the Vienna School of International Studies, welcome the 17th May as the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, as a celebration of diversity and inclusion around the world.

In many countries, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) people continue to suffer bullying, discrimination and violence, often with deadly consequences. In 70 countries, there are laws that criminalise private, consensual sexual relations between adults of the same sex. We remain alarmed at these severely retrograde and inhumane measures. It is our belief that nobody should be discriminated against for who they are or who they love. More tolerant and inclusive societies benefit everyone.

We are committed to promoting and protecting the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people. They must be accorded the same dignity, respect and rights as all other citizens. We will continue to work through our Embassies and through International Organisations, including, where relevant, the UN, European Institutions, the OSCE, the Organization of American States (OAS), Mercosur (Reunion de Altas Autoridades sobre Derechos Humanos) and the Commonwealth, to promote tolerance and non-discrimination against LGBTI people and to address discriminatory laws, including those that criminalise homosexuality.

We also wish to pay homage to the courageous advocacy efforts carried out by human rights defenders, activists, journalists, media workers and civil society organisations to raise awareness about the issues affecting LGBTI persons and the violations of their human rights that they may face, including in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.

For more information, follow our social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram

Natural England has licensed and authorised 7 new supplementary badger control areas to begin operations in 2020. It has also authorised the licence holders to resume operations in 3 existing supplementary badger control areas in 2020. Licence holders met all the criteria specified in Defra’s guidance to Natural England, dated May 2018.

Table 1: Supplementary control areas authorised in 2020

1 June is the earliest possible date for the start of operations and is the start of the open season. Specific company start dates may vary within this and will be the decision of the company.

Area number and county	Minimum number	Maximum number	Authorisation date	Year of operations
Area 1 – Gloucestershire	125	540	15 May 2020	Year 4
Area 2 – Somerset	109	578	15 May 2020	Year 4
Area 3 – Dorset	163	383	15 May 2020	Year 2
Area 4 – Cornwall	131	380	15 May 2020	Year 1
Area 5 – Cornwall	152	461	15 May 2020	Year 1
Area 6 – Devon	294	1173	15 May 2020	Year 1
Area 7 – Devon	145	455	15 May 2020	Year 1
Area 8 – Dorset	475	1685	15 May 2020	Year 1
Area 9 – Gloucestershire	219	1118	15 May 2020	Year 1
Area 10 – Herefordshire	90	359	15 May 2020	Year 1

The licence holder will decide the start date for control operations within this period. Licence holders carry out operations under a 5-year licence. This allows badger control to take place in the licensed control area every year between 1 June and 31 January inclusive.

Natural England has confirmed to the licence holders the minimum and maximum numbers of badgers they can remove.

Protected sites listed in the Annex Bs are not necessarily part of any active operations. These can, and will only, occur on protected sites where the landowner or occupier has granted permission.

The licences only permit badger control to take place outside these closed seasons:

• controlled shooting – 1 February to 31 May
• cage-trapping and shooting – 1 December to 31 May

The findings come after 2kg of rocket seeds spent six months on board the ISS with British European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, Tim Peake, as part of his Principia mission. Here they would absorb up to 100 times more radiation than on Earth and be subject to intense vibrations from the stresses and strains of space travel.

When the seeds returned to Earth in 2016, 600,000 children from schools and groups across the UK took part in an experiment, supported by the UK Space Agency, to plant them and monitor their growth, comparing it to that of seeds that had remained on Earth.

The results show that, while the space seeds grew more slowly and were more sensitive to ageing, they were still viable. It suggests that, by taking sensible steps to protect the seeds on their journey, it should be possible to grow plants in space or on another planet for humans to eat.

British ESA astronaut Tim Peake said:

In one of the largest and most inspirational experiments of its kind, more than half a million young people collected reliable data to help the scientists at Royal Holloway investigate the effects of spaceflight on rocket seeds.

When humans travel to Mars, they will need to find ways to feed themselves, and this research helps us understand some of the biology of seed storage and germination which will be vital for future space missions.

Professor Gerhard Leubner and Dr Jake Chandler, both from the Department of Biological Sciences at Royal Holloway, led the research, along with Professor Alistair Griffiths from the RHS, which has been published in the journal Life.

Dr Jake Chandler, from Royal Holloway, said:

Transporting high quality seeds to space and beyond will be crucial for growing plants that support human exploration of space, Mars and other worlds.

Our study found that a six-month journey to space reduced the vigour of rocket seeds compared to those that stayed on Earth, indicating that spaceflight accelerated the ageing process.

Thus, while we should carefully consider protecting seeds from potentially harmful factors including space radiation and mechanical vibration, the seeds remained alive, and the prospect of eating home-grown salad on Mars may be one small step closer.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) tasked 8,600 schools and groups across the UK to take part in the controlled study, documenting their results as a scientist would. It was part of a project called Rocket Science, led by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening, in partnership with the UK Space Agency.

Alana Cama, Schools and Groups Manager at the RHS, added:

The Rocket Science experiment opened a window into space biology and allowed young people to be at the forefront of innovative research.

This research project did more than just inspire; it furthered our understanding of the challenges around growing plants in unusual environments and the feasibility of growing food on long term space missions in the future. Inspiring a new generation of botanists and biologists will remain a highlight of our mission to enrich everyone’s lives through plants.

Humanity’s drive and ambition to explore will rely upon thousands of research projects, just like this. The RHS looks forward to supporting and nurturing the talent of our young people in more exciting citizen science projects in the future.

Other partners who worked on the research include University of Marburg and Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) and Tozer Seeds.

Join Tim Peake, Dr Jake Chandler and Alana Cama on Monday, 18 May 2020 at 11.30am for a live stream and Q&A. Tune in to find out about life in space as an astronaut and the science behind the project.

Click here to join from 11:30am