• 10,000 Environment Agency bred fish used to re-stock lake on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate, Nottinghamshire

• fish produced at Environment Agency’s national coarse fish farm used to create fisheries and improve stocks where natural reproduction is low

• income from fishing licence fees enables the national coarse fish farm’s work to continue

Fish bred at the Environment Agency’s national coarse fish farm in Calverton, Nottinghamshire have been used to stock the fishing lake at the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate in Nottinghamshire.

Now, angling can be used to help support the rehabilitation of members of the armed forces who have been wounded, injured or sick as part of their military service and are being treated at the new Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC Stanford Hall).

The recent re-stocking of fish at the Duke’s Lake in the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate in Nottinghamshire was the first of what is hoped to become an annual re-stocking to increase the amount and variety of fish in the lake for the benefit of anglers.

Over 10,000 fish were stocked into the lake, including 2,000 bream, 2,500 rudd, 4,666 roach and 1,300 crucian carp, some of the bumper weight of fish the farm produced in 2019.

The DMRC Stanford Hall was built following a £300m fundraising campaign by the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) Programme. There are also proposals to build a National Rehabilitation Centre to treat NHS patients 400 metres away on the same site as the Defence facility.

Fisheries Technical Officer at the Environment Agency, Jake Dorey, said:

The aim is to use fishing as part of the rehabilitation process, and this huge boost of fish stocks should go a long way in helping to achieve this.

Before we re-stocked the lake we carried out a winter netting last year to establish what the fish stocks were like. As this showed that fish stocks in the lake were extremely low, we agreed to supply and deliver over 10,000 fish bred at the Environment Agency’s national coarse fish farm.

It has long been proven that green activities such as angling have a positive impact on mental health, so it is hoped that the additional fish, with a good variety for anglers, will provide a welcome boost to the rehabilitation services available at this facility.

We also established that the lake needed some floating islands as extra protection for the fish from avian predation.

Two, 2m x 6m islands with pre-planted mats and fencing, which provide habitat for both fish and bird species, will soon be installed in the lake.

The initiative to create Defence and NHS rehab establishments on a specially acquired site came from the late 6th Duke of Westminster and he considered the existence of water to be an essential element of the rehabilitation process.

The Duke’s Lake (as it is now known) is a key feature of the Estate’s parkland and setting. Re-stocking it with fish means it can be used to help patients with their rehabilitation and have a positive impact on the healing process.

Notes to editors

• The Environment Agency’s national coarse fish farm near Calverton, Nottinghamshire had another record breaking year by producing its largest ever tonnage of fish in 2019.

• 12.3 tonnes of fish were produced in 2019 – compared with 11.6 tonnes the previous year – an increase of 6%. In 2017, the amount of fish bred at the farm was 9 tonnes.

• In addition, in 2019 the fish farm also stocked out over 7 million (7,600,000) advanced reared larvae into the wild. In 2018, nearly 7 million (6,905,000) larvae were bred at the farm and released, compared to 6 million in 2017.

• Find out how to get a fishing licence.

• For more information on the Defence and National Rehabilitation Programme, visit www.thednrc.org.uk/.

Community leaders attending the Environment Agency event heard how they could access resources and share experience as part of wider ambitions to reduce avoidable plastic waste to zero by 2042.

It was delivered by the plastics and sustainability team as part of a programme of partnership activity in England and France for the Interreg Preventing Plastic Pollution project, which identifies and targets hotspots for plastic by looking at catchments from source to sea.

Preventing waste plastic entering the environment by cracking down on waste crime and poor waste management is a key activity for the Environment Agency as a regulator. As an influencer, it also has an ambition to promote better environmental practices that result in a reduction of plastic waste, helping to achieve the goals and commitments outlined in its’ 5 year plan to create better places for people, places and the environment, and the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.

Experts believe around 10 million tonnes of plastic waste enters the ocean every year, of which approximately 50 per cent of marine litter is made up of single-use items.

Environment Agency officer Jonathan Harvey, from the plastics and sustainability team, said:

As an organisation we’re urging people to avoid, reduce, reuse and recycle waste. This network of local leaders, which includes zero waste groups, sustainability groups, plastic free communities and local authorities, will support communities with the resources they need to make long-term sustainable change, and tackle plastic pollution at source.

Plastic litters our countryside and coastline, blighting our natural environment. It is harmful to wildlife and there are concerns about potential impacts on the food chain and biodiversity.

As a result, it’s absolutely essential we encourage open conversations with communities, bring people together, and provide the tools for them to speak with one voice to tackle this rapidly escalating problem.

Workshop attendees had the chance to find out about the impact of plastic pollution using sustainable alternatives, how to organise litter picks, access marketing materials, and get involved with existing local projects.

They also heard from keynote speakers, including Professor Steven Fletcher from the University of Portsmouth, who spoke about a project called Revolution Plastics.

To find out more about the workshop email plasticsandsustainbility@environment-agency.gov.uk.

If you spot a plastic pollution incident contact the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Notes for editors

Working in partnership with 18 organisations from across France and England, Preventing Plastic Pollution (PPP) seeks to understand and reduce the impacts of plastic pollution in the river and marine environments. By looking at the catchment from source to sea, the project will identify and target hotspots for plastic, embed behaviour change in local communities and businesses, and implement effective solutions and alternatives.

PPP is a €14million funded EU INTERREG VA France (Channel) England Programme project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund which works mainly across 7 pilot sites: Brest Harbour, Bay of Douarnenez, Bay of Veys, Poole Harbour, and the Medway, Tamar, and Great Ouse estuaries.

Partners are the Environment Agency, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Queen Mary University of London, LABOCEA Conseil, Expertise et Analyses, Syndicat mixte établissement public de gestion et d’aménagement de la baie de Douarnenez, Office Français De La Biodiversité, Parc naturel marin d’Iroise, Brest Métropole, Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Counseil départemental de la Manche, Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer, The Rivers Trust, Syndicat de bassin de l’Elorn, ACTIMAR, Brest’aim, Westcountry Rivers Trust, South East Rivers Trust and Plymouth City Council.

It’s been just over a year since our students started the programme and, despite the disruption of the pandemic, our Business Analysis (BA) development team have done an amazing job. They’ve successfully reached the midway point of their two-year programme, and are progressing steadily towards achieving the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis.

Working from home

The entire BA team was ready for the new environment and transitioned seamlessly to working from home. Digital tools have allowed everyone to stay connected, with the experienced members of the team doing a fantastic job of mentoring and coaching our new Business Analysts (BAs). The BAs have continued to learn, explore and develop while making the most of technology and developing an inclusive community that promotes sharing ideas, learning and keeping in touch.

Opportunities and experience

A primary ingredient in our development programme are real-world experiences that allow students to practice and experiment with new tools and techniques. Our new analysts have wasted no time in becoming fully active members of the team. They can be found supporting BAs on key business initiatives, running workshops, process mapping, and working with engineering squads. They have also started to take the lead on small projects.

James Gray, BA student, had this to say about the programme,

I have just completed an assignment working on the apply for a duplicate log book (V5C) service. It was amazing to be part of a delivery team delivering at pace in an agile environment. The collaboration between business representatives and the engineering squad made them a pleasure to work with. For me personally, it was rewarding to work on the end-to-end delivery, being involved from the start and refining requirements to help deliver the service into production using agile methods.

The students’ enthusiasm for assignments is a positive challenge to the team supporting the programme, making sure opportunities are tailored to individual learning experiences, and providing insight into different aspects of daily BA life.

Courses and exams

The development programme has a set learning path in line with the diploma, where courses and exams were delivered in a classroom environment. Since the pandemic, all courses have been completed digitally using video conferencing tools, with online monitoring of exams becoming a new experience for most. The BAs embraced the new approach and worked through some initial bumps to successfully pass the exams and achieve their certifications.

Learning to code

Earlier this year, our new BAs were introduced to code through face to face classroom training at DVLA, self-led tutorials, a mini-project and some excellent support from our own Centre of Digital Excellence (CoDE) MSc students. They learned HTML, CSS, and Javascript and developed a web application which contributes towards a learning objective for their development portfolio. This provided them with a full end-to-end example of taking an idea into production. While many found the task challenging, the feedback was positive. And it provided the students with an appreciation of the role of engineers and the important relationship of BAs in daily interactions with delivery teams.

What next?

Over the coming weeks, the students will complete module 3 of the development programme which finishes with an end-of-module assessment and submission of their development portfolio before kicking off module 4. They will continue to study for their BCS diploma, and the BA team are proactively looking for new experiences to supplement the learning journey.

We are now sharing knowledge with other organisations and government departments who have expressed an interest in the programme who have shared their interest in the programme.

If you have an interest in becoming a Business Analyst at DVLA, keep an eye on the Civil Service Jobs website where all our opportunities will be advertised.

Follow DVLA on Twitter, follow us on Facebook and connect with us on LinkedIn. You can also subscribe to the DVLA digital services blog.

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New rules and logos to protect British food and drink, guaranteeing the authenticity of regional and traditional foods for shoppers and protecting British producers from imitation, have been set out today.

At the end of the Transition Period, the new and independent Geographical Indications (GI) schemes will make sure that popular and traditional produce from across the country will be granted special status to mark out their authenticity and origin, for example Scotch whisky and Welsh lamb.

This means that shoppers will be able to buy their favourite food and drink with confidence, and producers whose foods are granted GI status will benefit from intellectual property protection so that others cannot imitate them.

GIs are highly valued by producers and are exemplars of the wide range of quality British products enjoyed around the world. They represent around a quarter of UK food and drink exports by value, approaching £6bn in export value in 2019.

GIs are only awarded to highlight regional and traditional foods whose authenticity and origin can be guaranteed. The new logos representing the unique and protected nature of these products to consumers have been unveiled today, which can be displayed on all British produce which is given GI status.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

The new UK protected food name scheme will replace the old EU one and will ensure that we continue to recognise and celebrate protected food names and local recipes across our country.

The new logos launched today will become a staple on supermarket aisles in the UK and mean shoppers will be able to pick the best of British, from Scotch whisky and Welsh lamb to Cornish clotted cream.

UK Government Minister for Scotland David Duguid said:

Scotland benefits from many Geographic Indicators, from Arbroath Smokies, Stornoway black pudding and of course Scotch whisky. Our famous food and drink is highly sought after around the globe.

We have been clear we will be protecting food standards and these new logos will guarantee the authenticity for consumers who will know they are buying first class produce.

The UK Government is working to negotiate free trade agreements with major economies and markets around the world. Geographic Indicators are a key part of these which will be good news for many Scottish producers.

There are three UK GI logos, which were developed in conjunction with GI producers, Devolved Administrations and consumers, which mark each designation of geographical indication:

• Protected designation of origin (PDO)
• Protected geographical indication (PGI)
• Traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG)

The UK GI schemes will replace the EU’s schemes on 1 January 2021 as the Transition Period ends. Legislation laid in Parliament today will:

• Provide the legal framework in England, Scotland and Wales to administer and enforce the GI schemes
• Ensure continued protection of existing UK-origin GIs and non-UK GIs agreed through trade agreements
• Establish the new UK logo in law and ensure EU GI logos are no longer required on GB products
• Simplify the application process

Registered producers of British food, drink and agricultural GI products that are required to use the logos will have until 1 January 2024 to change packaging to display the new UK GI logos. This timeframe will enable producers, who have been consulted extensively on the scheme, to introduce the logos to their products in good time. Guidance is available on GOV.UK including for the simplified process on new UK GI application.

Nicholas Rodda, Managing Director, Rodda’s Creamery

The UK is celebrated for producing some of the very best food and drink in the world. The new GI status will not only strengthen the authenticity of our Cornish clotted cream on a global stage, but also provide new opportunities for our business conversations internationally.

We were delighted to be involved in the development of the GI logos, ensuring the prestigious nature of the PDO is represented within the new designs. The new GI status will ensure consumers can continue to enjoy Cornish clotted cream with knowledge that it has been made in Cornwall, with Cornish milk and crafted using traditional methods.

Anglesey Sea Salt Halen Mon PDO, welcomes the continued protection of its name and special characteristics:

In a world of cheap imitations and pressures on costs, it’s important for producers and consumers alike to be able to depend on a marque which is a guarantee of authenticity and quality.

All UK products currently protected under the EU’s GI schemes will continue to be protected in the UK and the EU after the end of the transition period.

The UK Government is also currently working to expand and increase the number of GI protections through Free Trade Agreements. The recently announced UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement will offer new protection for more iconic UK goods – increasing GIs from just seven under the terms of the EU-Japan deal to potentially over 70 under this new agreement, which would lead to improved recognition of key UK brands in the Japanese market.