EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.
NE: Natural England is pleased to announce that farmers can now resume applying to join Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) after the applications system was successfully upgraded ahead of schedule. Both ELS Online - the quickest & most efficient way of applying - and ELS application packs are now available following the recent suspension to carry out updates & improvements to the on-line application system. Farmers are encouraged to apply once they receive their updated RLR maps.
In addition to upgrading the on-line application system, NE has significantly stepped up the level of ELS training & information in order to help farmers apply for ELS and choose the best options for their farm. Workshops, events & one-to-one farm visits are all now available.
Farmers who submit a valid, accurate application before 17 February 2010 will be given a start date of 1 March 2010. Some are not due to receive their confirmatory maps from RPA until February and they are advised to wait until these have arrived before applying. During February, RPA aims to send the remaining confirmatory maps to all farmers who requested changes to their maps before mid-January.
Press release ~ NE: Environmental Stewardship ~ 3rd Edition Environmental Stewardship Handbooks ~ Farm Events
ScotGov: Agreement on the 2010 harvest of fish stocks jointly managed between the EU & Norway has been reached in Brussels, along with a long-term deal on the future management of mackerel, Scotland's most valuable stock.
At the fourth time of asking, 2010 Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for valuable species including North Sea Cod and Haddock were finalised. The EU and Norway also came up with a deal on how they should best tackle Iceland over its mackerel overfish.
