19/03/24 Farmer protests and EU concessions; Scampi; Special protection areas for wild birds; New national nature reserve.

Spanish farmers in Madrid have held more protests, despite the European Commission announcing a review of its so-called 'green deal' which was designed to help the EU reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Farmers across Europe have voiced their anger at red tape and new environmental rules. Last week the Commission published a raft of proposed changes, which still have to be agreed. It says it'll cut back on red tape, allow individual member states more freedom over new 'greening' rules, and remove the demand that farmers must put a certain percentage of their land over to the environment. Conservationists have criticised the move as a backward step for the environment. The UK gets through around £68 million worth of scampi a year. but a conservation group says the current drive to make fishing for langoustine more environmentally friendly has failed. How sustainable is our scampi? We speak to a fisherman and an environmental campaigner.The Office for Environmental Protection is investigating whether there's been a failure to comply with the law governing Special Protection Areas for wild birds, in Northern Ireland and England. A similar investigation is being undertaken in Scotland, while in Wales there are concerns about how these sites are being run. S.P.A.s are legally designated sites that protect rare and threatened wild birds. The OEP says it's taking action because the recommendations from a review of these sites between 2015 and 2017 has still not been published.A new National Nature Reserve's been created on the South Devon coast at Budleigh Salterton. The Lower Otter Estuary is home to Dartford warblers, silver-studded blue butterflies, populations of sea trout, Atlantic salmon and eels.Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney