NEWS UK UPDATE Ban botom trawling in protected seas now


Botom trawling is destroying our seabed – and it’s still happening inside Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Tis industrial fishing method drags heavy gear across the seafloor, smashing fragile habitats, releasing stored carbon and killing marine life on a massive scale. Ten, of what’s caught, over three quarters is simply thrown away. Tanks to Ocean, Sir David


Atenborough’s latest BBC documentary, the public can now see the destruction caused. But the reality is worse: MPAs, meant to protect the seabed, are being trawled without repercussion. Out of sight cannot mean out of mind. Te UK Government’s recently launched consultation looking at banning botom trawling in 41 offshore MPAs.


Once common species, like tree sparrows are now red-listed


Tis is a crucial step – but only if swiſt action follows. Partial or delayed protections won’t save


our seas. Te Wildlife Trusts are calling for an immediate ban on botom trawling in all seabed-protecting MPAs. We must protect entire areas, not just fragments, and finally stop industrial-scale damage in waters meant to be safe for nature. Marine life can recover. Seabed


habitats store carbon, support wildlife, and help secure sustainable fisheries. But only if we act now. In the words of Sir David Atenborough, “If we save the sea, we save our world.” Join us in telling Minister Hardy to ban


botom trawling in MPAs. Te future of our seas depends on it. wtru.st/Ban-Botom-Trawling


Discover how The Wildlife Trusts are helping wildlife across the UK


Once in a lifetime


When Peter McEvoy first stepped foot on 90-acres of farmland in County Fermanagh, he knew it was a special place: the last remnants of species- rich grassland and centuries-old woodland in Northern Ireland. Ulster Wildlife is now the proud new owner of Fedian Nature Reserve, brimming with wildflower meadows, bird-friendly hedgerows and ancient woodlands. wtru.st/Safeguarding-nature


UK HIGHLIGHTS


Cuckoo, cuckoo A decade of nature-friendly farming brings wildlife back


Rare birds, bees and butterflies are returning to farms across England thanks to a decade of nature-friendly farming. The Jordans Farm Partnership – a collaboration between The Wildlife Trusts, Jordans Cereals and LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) – has supported 27 farms since 2015 to create tailored conservation plans. From planting hedgerows and


wildflower margins to restoring ponds and improving habitat links, farmers have transformed their land for wildlife. Over half have reported sightings of new or


returning species – many of them rare or endangered. Red-listed birds like the tree sparrow,


nightingale and goshawk have reappeared, alongside the rare meadow clary plant, found in just 26 UK sites. Other highlights include breeding stone curlew in Hampshire, scarce emerald damselfly in Suffolk and brown hare in Leicestershire. This inspiring partnership shows what’s possible when farming works hand-in- hand with nature – creating healthier landscapes for wildlife, farmers and future generations.


Two cuckoos, named Arthur and Ashok, have been fitted with lightweight satellite tags to track their remarkable trans-Saharan migration. The cuckoos from Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Worlingham Marshes nature reserve will join over 100 others in the British Trust for Ornithology’s long-running Cuckoo Tracking Project, to help understand the cuckoo population decline. wtru.st/Cuckoos-tagged


Pine marten kits born


Devon and Somerset Wildlife Trusts are among those celebrating the birth of wild pine martens in a pioneering reintroduction project in the south- west of England. Recorded on site, exclusive footage shows the first kits born into the wild in Devon for more than a century. wtru.st/Pine-marten-kits


Cumbrian Wildlife | November 2025 37


TREE SPARROWS © JOHN BRIDGES. CUCKOO © JON HAWKINS


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