Session Three – The Challenge of Managing Marine Resources
Speakers: Peter Barham, Angela Moffat, Gregory Darling and Peter Winterbottom
What is the effect of changing conditions in the Humber estuary. In particular, what will happen if and when Spurn Head is breached?
Spurn Head has been breached before, and contrary to some opinion, the Humber is unlikely to change dramatically even if it disappears altogether.
In India port development and dredging were causing sedimentary changes that are leading to the loss of sandy beaches etc. Are there similar issues in the UK?
Most European ports are quite old and relatively far upstream, and dredging is necessary to keep them open to modern shipping. However, dredging is being better managed than previously, and where spoil would previously have been dumped at sea it is now kept within the estuary and used to form marshes and mudflats. Fishing in the Humber does not really conflict with dredging, but there are conflicts elsewhere, such as the Solent.
Decisions relating to dredging and similar activities are based on current knowledge, which should be updated in the light of new research. Both research and monitoring need to be constant to ensure sustainability.
Integrated policies have been discussed and the UK is moving in this direction, but how far can it go? Another model starts with outcomes and has a single delivery body. Has this approach, which could be very effective, been considered?
Much has happened recently to promote better working together and improved relationships between government, industry, NGOs etc, and the situation is better than it was. There are three or four specific areas of improved cooperation:
- European wildlife division and port industries have come up with protocols for maintenance dredging which simplify administration and avoid the need for new environmental assessments at each dredge, which saves time and money.
- Understanding has improved of one another’s long-term aims makes it easier for ABP to offset impacts.
- Increased work on ‘habitat banking.’
There is nothing in the Marine Bill to prevent an agreement being reached for ABP to manage the Humber estuary. There would be some benefit to having a single management body.
Impact assessments. Is it really an accurate term, or are we really talking about ‘impact estimates?’
We need to learn from past projects. There is too much emphasis on regulatory hurdles to getting things done.
The process of impact assessments has matured in recent years and there is greater understanding and more emphasis on indirect and long-term impacts, which inform more detailed modelling. There is also ongoing assessment of compensatory measures.
OSPAR requirements will be built into UK MCZs.
How will UK industries not directly involved be involved in future MCZ planning?
Via regional stakeholder projects.
Given the current economic climate, is all of this deliverable? Implementation always costs money, which is in short supply at present.
Prior to the introduction of the Marine Bill costs had been estimated and there is provision in the budget for implementation of IFCAs etc. However, with public finances uncertain, whether all of the money will materialise is hard to say.