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The newsletter of the Solent Forum Issue 47: Winter 2019/20

Inside this issue...

• LatestnewsfromtheSolentForum

• NewseabinforOceanVillage

• NurdlesontheNewForestCoast

• Bluehealthandthecoast• MaritimeFisheriesFund• UKSeaFisheries

Statistics

• Wightlink’sgreenagenda

• PortsmouthandSouthamptonportsairqualitywork

• Improvingtheenvironmentalperformanceofhardengineeredstructures

• Exploremarineplans• EnvironmentBill

progresses

• Socialbaselinedataformarineplanning

• Resilientlandscapesandseas

• WilderSolent

• Buckler’sHardreconfiguration

• MayflowerQuarterdevelopment

• FawleyWaterside

• Mayflower400• HMSInvincible• D-DayatLepe

Solent News

TheSolentForum ispreparing itsBusinessPlan (2020 to2025) for thenextfiveyears.ForumstaffbegandevelopmentofthenewPlaninFebruary2019.Worktodate,includesdiscussions and consultationwithSolent Forummembers to evaluate the successes ofthepreviousbusinessplan(2015to2020),andidentifyingfutureworkandissuesthattheForumshouldaddress. In2019,weconductedamembers’surveyandheldabusinessplanningworkshop to gainmember feedback.The key theme that emerged during thisconsultativeworkwas‘ValuingtheSolentinPartnership’.

Solent Forum members expressed the view that they highly value the Forum’s coremembers’services;theywishthenewBusinessPlan’semphasistobeonimprovingandexpandingtheseservices.Asummaryofmembers’viewsisillustratedbelow.

• MaintainandimprovethecurrentcorememberservicesofferedbytheForum.• Tobeadaptiveduringthefiveyearbusinessplancycle,byundertakinganannualHorizon

PlanningexercisewithSolentForummemberinputtobuildontopicalopportunities.

• ToreferencetheimportanceofvaluingtheSolent’snaturalcapitalandaddressclimatechangeissues.

• Tofocusontheretentionofexistingmembersandbringinneworganisations.• Toemphasiseworkingwithourmembersaspartners,toutilisetheknowledgeand

experienceofallthoseworkingintheSolent.

• TocontinuetoimprovelinkswithhighereducationinstitutionstoutilisethestudentandresearchnetworksintheSolent.

• ToexplorehowtheSolentForumcanbemore‘businessready’,toeffectivelymanageincomefromprojectsandevents.

ThedraftBusinessPlanwillbefinalisedinearly2020;itwilladoptedbyMarch2020.FulldetailsaboutthePlananditssupportingdocumentscanbefoundat:www.solentforum.org/about/business_plan/.

Shaping the Solent Forum for the Next Five Years

Chairman’s Column

News from the Forum

In September, I attended the English CoastalChallengeSummitandtheCoastalPartnershipNetwork Annual Forum in Southampton.This is an important occasion that bringstogetherpeoplefromawholerangeofcoastalorganisations, todiscusscoastalmanagementissuesandtoplanforthefuture.

We already know the importance of makingeveryonemore aware of the value of coastalpartnerships, this is an important aspect ofour work. There were also some fascinatingdiscussionsonothertopics,whichdemonstratedthat we still have a lot of work to do bothnationally,andwithinourownpartnership.

There were some excellent talks aboutcoastal deprivation, with statistics showingthat although tourism is often important intheseareas, it isusuallyseasonal,whichhasits ownconsequences.Alongside this there isincreasing understanding that, in addition toeconomic growth, well-being is an essentialcomponentoflife.Awellmanagedcoastisoneofthebestwaysofprovidingthis.Well-beingismorethanjustbeinghealthy;itischaracterisedbyhealth,happiness,andprosperityandwhereweliveisamassivelyimportantpart.

Southamptonandthesurroundingarearemainrelatively affluent, but this does not meanthat where we live is not important. Coastalmanagement, that continues to improve thelocal environment, remains an important goalfortheSolentForum.Weneedtomaximisethebenefitsfromcoastallivingandwell-being.

Mirroring this, is thegrowing idea that coastalpartnerships could be delivered in a similarmanner to theapproach taken inmany rivers,

Peter Barham

MMO ESEP Project

Building Biodiversity in the Solent (BBS) Hub

TheSolentForumisworkingwith theDorsetCoastForumandDevonMaritimeForumonthefinaltaskoftheMarineManagementOrganisation(MMO)EnhancingStakeholderEngagementProgramme.Forthistask,wewillbeproducingananimationthatshowswhyandhowpeopleacrossthesouthcoastneedtobeawareoftheSouthMarinePlansandhowtousethem.

Asimilar animation, thatwasproduced for theSolwayaspart of planengagement and consultation, canbe viewedat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE_9AOylnKU.

IfyouhaveotherideasthatcouldbedevelopedintoshortvideostohelpwithPlanengagementpleaseletusknow,andwewillpassthemontotheMMO.

Theanimationwillbeavailableinearlyspring.

throughthecatchmentbasedapproach(CaBa).Therearediscussionsabout this at national level, and these, potentially, reflect agrowingunderstandingbygovernmentthatgreatercommitmentisneededtoensurewealldothebestforthecoastandcoastalcommunities.

Iftheideaofnationalguidancegrows,SolentForumwillplayitspartin shaping its development, andwewill keep you posted.WewillcontinuetoensurethattheSolentanditscontributiontoourwell-beingremainsattheheartofourwork.

TheSolentForum,withpartners,isdevelopingaresourcehubforSolentForummemberstocollateinformationandcasestudymaterialonhowtoimprovethebiodiversityofcoastalinfrastructure.

ABBSWorkingGrouphasbeensetuptoguidetheHubandaninauguralmeetingwasheldtoagreethebasisfortheworkprogramme.Atermsofreferencehasalsobeenfinalised.

TheHubwillbeofficiallylaunchedinspring2020,andinthemeantimetheForumwillbegatheringinformationforit.Wewillbesendingoutanonlinepro-formatoorganisationswithexperienceofbuildingbiodiversityintocoastal infrastructure.Theresultswillbeusedtodeveloppracticalcase studies for how to undertake infrastructure enhancements in arangeofcoastalenvironments.

Thetopicsofnetgainandnaturalcapitalarecurrentlyoutsidethescopeofthiswork,butForumOfficerswillstillbecollatingresourcesonthesetopicsforusebySolentForummembers.TheywillbeaddedtotheBBSHubwebpages.

Find out more at: www.solentforum.org/services/Member_Services/Building_Bioversity_hub/.

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SolentForummembersmetinOctoberatCowesontheIsleofWight.Themeetingwasverywellattended,delegatesheardfromarangeofspeakersontopicalissuesandhadtheopportunity tonetworkwithcolleagues throughout theSolent.Themeetingpresentationshavebeenuploadedto:www.solentforum.org/networking/meeting/andinclude:

• SolentForumWorkUpdate

• BeneficialUseofDredgingsintheSolent-Phase2• SeastheDay-SelseyHeritageFisheriesProject• SARCC:SustainableandResilientCoastalCities• TotalEcosystemManagementoftheInterTidalHabitat

(TEMITH)

• HighlyProtectedMarineAreasReview• BirdAwareSolentUpdate• TheGreenBlue-newwebsitelaunched• PortsmouthUniversityCentreforBlueGovernance

TheForumwillnextmeeton11March2020inSouthampton,membersthatwouldlikespeakerorhottopicslotspleasecontacttheForumOfficeat:info@solentforum.org.

Coastal Challenge Summit and Coastal Partnership Network ConferencesInOctober, Solent Forum staff helped to organiseand facilitate two national conferences that wereheldinSouthampton.TheSolentForumChair,PeterBarham,chairedtheCoastalChallengeSummit.

TheCoastalChallengeSummitlookedatthreekeyissues:

1. Exploringwhatwehave,wantandneedinexistingpoliciesandwhatwewouldaskforinanationalcoastalstrategy.

2. Exploringthechallengesofworkingatthecoastinachangingclimate.

3. IfweweretohaveanationalcelebrationoftheEnglishCoastin2021,whatactivities,messagesandprojectswouldwebeabletoactivateandcelebrate.

At the second event, the Coastal PartnershipNetworkConference,theSolentForumstaffheardfromnationalcolleaguesabouttheworktheyareundertakingandtheissuestheyfaceintheirarea;wepresentedonsomeoftheworkthatwehaveundertakenintheSolent.

WealsoexploredinmoredetailhowindividualpartnershipswouldliketogetinvolvedwiththeYearoftheCoastandthepotentialforregionalgroupingsandopportunitiesforcollaborativefundingbids.Finally,wediscussedopportunitiesaroundobtainingcommunitiesfundingforclimateadaptationwork.TheForumwillinformitsmembersofprogressonallthisworkinduecoursesothattheyhavetheopportunitytogetinvolved.

Solent Forum Meeting October 2019

News from the Forum

SEMS and NEG Update

The Solent European Management Scheme (SEMS)managementgroupmetinSeptemberandagreedtheAnnualManagementReportfor2019(AMR)anditsactions.

InOctober, theForum’sNaturalEnvironmentGroup (NEG)mettodiscussthestrategicactionsfromthisAMR,whichittakesonanddelivers.Keyactionsinclude:

• ReviewingtheissueofbaitdiggingandtheSolentbaitdiggingcollectorscode.

• ProgressingtheCleanSolentSeasandShoresproject.• WorkingwithNaturalEnglandtodeliveraworkshoponthe

newSolentcoastpath.

• Lookingtoimprovedatacollationonlandbasedrecreationalusearoundthecoast.

Wehavealsouploadedaproject trackingdocument to theNEG website to record local environmental projects, see:www.solentems.org.uk/natural_environment_group/Tracker/.

ViewtheSEMSAMR,2019at:www.solentems.org.uk/sems/AMR/SEMS_2019_AMR_Final_Web.pdf.

InformationontheworkofNEGcanbeaccessedat:www.solentems.org.uk/natural_environment_group/.

Plastics & LitterNew Seabin for Ocean Village Marina

Over10,000volunteerstookpartintheGreatBritishBeachClean,2019.Theycleanedandsurveyed437beachesfromtheShetlandIslandsallthewaytotheChannelIslandsandacrosstheIrishSeato Northern Ireland.A total of 10,833 kilogrammes of litter wasremovedinoneweekend.AroundthirtypercentoftheUKbeachlittercouldbedirectlysourcedtothepublic

Therewere,onaverage,558itemsoflitteronevery100metresofbeachthatwerecleanedandsurveyed.InEnglandthiswasafourpercentdecreasesince2018.

Theaveragenumberofitemsfoundwereasfollows:

• Plastic/polystyrene(0-50cm)-143.0/100m• Cigarettestubs-42.6/100m• Glass(other)-33.4/100m• String/cord(thickness0-1cm)-32.6/100m• Packets(crisp,sweet,lolly,sandwich)-30.9/100m• Fishingnet(small)-21.3/100m• Caps/lids-20.4/100m• Wetwipes-19.2/100m

• Fishingline-18.8/100m• Plastic/polystyrene(other)-16.0/100mSee:https://www.mcsuk.org/media/mcs-gbbc-2019-report-digital.pdf.

Great British Beach Clean, 2019

AnewSeabinhasbeeninstalledinOceanVillageMarina,Southampton. The award-winning piece of technologyis located in thenorth east corner of themarina,whereprevailingwindscausethemostlittertoaccumulate.

This Seabin represents a collaboration between severallocalorganisationsaspartof theHampshireand IsleofWightWildlifeTrust’sSecretsoftheSolentproject,whichwillinstallanetworkofSeabinsacrossthearea.

ThisbinhasbeenfundedbyDPWorldSouthamptonanditwillbemaintainedbyMDLMarinas,whooperateOceanVillage Marina. An information board will be installedexplainingthetechnology.

TheSeabinsitsinthewater,attachedtoapontoon,andmovesupanddownwiththetide.Bydrawinginwaterfromthesurfaceandpassingitthroughafinemeshbag,itcancatchfloatinglittersuchasplasticbottlesandmicroplasticsassmallas2mmindiameter.

AsingleSeabincancollectupto1.4tonsoflittereachyear(theequivalentof90,000plasticbagsor35,700disposablecups)whilecostingaslittleas80penceadaytorun.

Findoutmoreat:https://www.hiwwt.org.uk/news/new-seabin-ocean-village-marina.

SinceApril,CoastalRangerChrisMarshall,fromtheNew Forest National Park Authority (NFNPA) andJaneCartwright,amemberofTheFriendsOfLepeGroup,haveregularlycollectednurdles.ThesepreproductionrawplasticpelletshavebeenwashedupatthetopofthespitatLepeCountryPark.

The presence of these nurdles was first noticedduring the 2019 Spring Clean Campaign, whenhundredswerepickedupbyvolunteersinacoupleofhours.

Throughout the summer at least a further 6,000nurdleshavebeencollected from thebeach.Chrishasbeenusingthemtoraiseawarenessatcoastaleventsandschoolassemblies.SheranaworkshopatTheUKNationalParksEducationConference,tohighlight the impactof thesemicroplasticpieces inourriversandmarineenvironment.

ShehasalsoledtwosurveysessionswithstafffromtheNFNPAtocontributetotheworkbeingcarriedoutbyPortsmouthUniversitywithTheBigMicroplasticSurvey.

By monitoring and collecting the nurdles over lastsummer, it appears likely that these were washedupduringastormeventlastwinter.Theareawillbemonitoredover the currentwintermonths to see iffurtherbatcheswashup.

Nurdles on the New Forest Coast

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Environmental QualityBlueHealth: Coastal Proximity and Mental Health among Urban Adults in England

Engineers are testing a green waste disposal systemon Britain’s newest aircraft carrier, reducing the rubbishaboardbyonehundredfold.

During the latest phase of HMS Prince of Wales’ seatrials in theNorthSea, sailors testedher state-of-the-artpyrolysisplants;theseplantsarealreadyfittedtotheship’solder sister HMSQueen Elizabeth. The plants keep thetonnes of rubbish generated by the 600 sailors and400industryengineersonboardtoaminimum.

The two pyrolysis plants cause material to decomposeunderextremetemperatures.Wastesuchasfood,sewageandoilscanbeprocessedby theplants,whichcandealwith150kilogrammesof rubbisheveryhour.Metalsandglass cannotbeprocessed,however the shipsare fittedwith glass processing equipment which crushes andcompactsleftoverglassproductsforsubsequentrecycling.

The waste produced then becomes the fuel; the burnerswitchesoffand theplantbecomesself-sustainingusingminimumfuel.

Theendresultoftheprocessisgrey-blackishash,knownas char. This is stored in drums until the ship puts intoharbouragainanditcanbeoffloaded.

Green Waste DisposalWorld Wetlands Day 2020

AnewstudyfoundthatlivingclosetotheseacouldsupportbettermentalhealthinEngland’spooresturbancommunities.ResearchersfromtheBlueHealthteam,attheEuropeanCentreforEnvironmentandHumanHealth,UniversityofExeter,usedsurveydatafromnearly26,000respondentsintheiranalysis.

Aftertakingotherrelatedfactorsintoaccount,thestudyrevealedthatlivingneartoEngland’scoastlineislinkedwithbettermentalhealthforthoseinthelowestearninghouseholds.

TheresearchuseddatafromtheHealthSurveyforEnglandandcomparedpeople’shealthtotheirproximitytothecoast;fromthoselivinglessthanonekilometreaway,tothosemorethanfiftykilometresaway.Itsfindingsaddtothegrowingevidencethataccesstobluespaces,particularlycoastalenvironments,canimprovehealthandwellbeing.Listentotheprojectpodcastat:https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=lXE4eetHTbo.

ThereportcomesatatimewhenNaturalEnglandpreparestoopenaccesstoallofEngland’sCoastPathby2020.WitheverywhereinEnglandbeingwithin70milesofthesea,morepeoplecouldharnessthewellbeingbenefitsoflivingneartothecoastthankstothisimprovedaccess.

BlueHealthisalsodevelopinganEnvironmentalAssessmentTool(BEAT)thatwillhelpcommunitymembersandplannerstoidentifyandunderstandthefactorsthatcanmaximisethehealthandwellbeingbenefitsofbluespaces.Itwillprovideacomprehensivemethodofassessinganyoutdoorspacethatprominentlyfeatureswater,aspaceinwhichindividualsmayexperiencewater,orwherepeople interact indirectlywithwater,suchasbyviewing it.Access the toolat:https://beatbluehealth.wixsite.com/site.

BlueHealth isapan-European research initiative investigating the linksbetweenenvironment, climateandhealth.Theprogrammeisspecificallyfocusedonunderstandinghowwater-basedenvironmentsintownsandcitiescanaffecthealthandwellbeing.See:https://bluehealth2020.eu/.

‘WetlandsandBiodiversity’ is thetheme for World Wetlands Day2020. Wetlands are rich withbiodiversityandprovideahabitatfor numerous varieties of plantandanimalspecies.

The 2 February each year isdesignated World WetlandsDay; which aims to raise globalawareness about the vital roleof thishabitat forpeopleandourplanet. This date also marks thedayin1971oftheadoptionoftheConventiononWetlands,intheIraniancityofRamsarontheshoresoftheCaspianSea.

The latest global estimates show wetlands disappearingthree times faster than forests.Thisyear’s themegivesanopportunitytohighlightwetlandbiodiversity,itsstatus,whyitmattersandtopromoteactionstoreverseitsloss.

People can become involved with the Day as an eventorganiser, educator or participant. Resources to downloadareavailableat:https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/materials.

See:https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/.

FisheriesMaritime Fisheries Fund (MFF)

TheMarineManagementOrganisation(MMO)willadministeranewMaritimeFisheriesFund.ThefundinEnglandisopentoapplicationsthat:

• Deliverproductiveinvestmentintheprocessingoffisheriesandaquacultureproducts.

• Supportinnovationintechnologiestoenhanceeconomicgrowth,increaseenergyefficiency,reduceenvironmentalimpactandimprovefishingsafety.

• Improveportinfrastructure.• Boostcoastalcommunities.• Helpthesectoradjusttonewarrangementsonaccessand

fishingopportunitiesbyimprovingcapacityandcapabilitytoexploitnewexportopportunitiesandmarkets.

• Improvesafetyonfishingvesselsoronshore.ThisfundisinadditiontotheexistingEuropeanMaritimeandFisheries Fund (EMFF). The government has guaranteedthatallEMFFprojects,approvedbefore31December2020,will continue to be fully funded. Submissions for the newfundaremadethroughtheMFFE-system,see:https://mffs.marinemanagement.org.uk/.

MarineSouthEastisapartnerinanewEUInterregco-fundedprojecttodevelopprototypebiodegradablefishinggear.INdiGO(INnovativefishingGearforOcean)will rununtil2023withantotalbudgetofEuro4.2million.Fishinggear isestimatedtorepresenttwentysevenpercentofmarinelitterwithmorethan26,000kilometreofgearlostintheEnglishChannel area each year.With an estimated lifetime of several hundreds of year, the impacts onmarine wildlife canbedevastating.Thepersistenceof lostanddiscardedfishinggear in theenvironmentcouldbereducedby theuseofbiodegradableequipmentwithacontrolled lifespan,however, there iscurrentlya lackofsuchproducts foruse in thefishingandaquaculturesectors.

Fishery Protection SquadronThePortsmouth-basedFisheryProtectionSquadron(FPS)undertakesanannualexerciseintheSolent.

Lastautumn,twoofthesquadron’soffshorepatrolvessels(OPVs)tookpart,including,fortheveryfirsttime,aBatch2 River-class OPV, HMS Medway, which was recentlycommissionedatChathamDockyard.

Withoriginsthathavebeentracedbackto1379,theFPSistheoldestoperationalsquadronintheRoyalNavy.

Theexerciseprovidedanopportunity todemonstrate therangeofactivitiesthattheshipsareexpectedtoconduct;from fishery protection duties in support of the MarineManagementOrganisation,tosupportingmaritimecounterterrorism,andmaintainingnationalsecurityinUKwaters.

Thesquadron’svesselsandcrewsareatsealongerthanany others in the Royal Navy. Currently they do eightmonthsoutoftwelveawayfromhome,andduetotheirroleareworkingallyearround.

TheMarineManagementOrganisationhaspublisheditsannualUKSeaFisheriesStatistics,2018.ItincludesdetailsontheUKfleet,thenumberoffishermen,thequantityandvalueofUKlandings,internationaltrade,worldwidefishingandthestateofkeystocks.Keyfindingsinclude:

• ThequantityofseafishlandedbyUKvesselshasdecreasedbyfourpercent.However,thevalueoflandingshasincreasedbyonepercentinvaluefrom2017.

• UKvesselslanded698,000tonnesofseafishintotheUKandabroadwithavalueof£989million.• UKfleetlandingsabroadfellto272,000tonnescomparedwith291,000tonnesin2017,almostentirelydowntoadecrease

inmackerellandings.

• TheUKfishingfleetremainedtheseventhlargestintheEUintermsofvesselnumbers,withthesecondlargestcapacityandfourthlargestenginepower.

• SeventyfourpercentofthequantitylandedbytheUKfleetwascaughtbyvesselsover24metresinlength,whichaccountedforfourpercentofthetotalnumberofUKvessels.Thesevesselstendtocatchlowervaluepelagicfish.

• Around12,000fishermenwereactiveintheUK.Approximately2,400werepart-time.• Importsoffishweredownby31,000tonnesto674,000tonnes.Exportsalsofell,by12,000tonnesto448,000tonnes.• Worldfiguresfor2017showedthatChinacaughtthelargestamountoffishat13milliontonnes.

Thefullreportcanbeseenat:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-sea-fisheries-annual-statistics-report-2018.

UK Sea Fisheries Statistics

Developing Biodegradable Fishing Gear

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Marine Industries

Portsmouth Port Air Quality

Wightlink’sfleet isafamiliarsightontheSolent,carryingmore than 4.5million people every year.Although ferrieshavesailedthesewaters forcenturies,newtechnologiesarenowtransformingtheworldofshipping.

Wightlink’sGreenAgendabeganwiththearrivalofitsnew£30million flagship,Victoria of Wight, in 2018. England’sfirst hybrid energy ferry combines conventional engineswithpowerfulbatteries.Carryingupto178carsand1,000passengers on every trip, the ship is now using up toseventeen percent less low sulphurmarine gas oil thanWightlink’snext largest ship,StClare.Wightlink’sGreenAgenda’sinitiativesinclude:

• Improvingwaterqualitybyinspectingquaysandshoreseverydayandremovinganyrubbish.

• Recyclingfiftypercentofwastebytheendof2020.• Reducingshipandvehicleemissionsbyfivepercentbytheendof2020.InNovember2019,thecompanyreceivedthePeopleEnvironmentAchievementAwardforsustainabletravel.ItwasalsoafinalistintheNationalTransportAwardsFerryOperatoroftheYear.ItholdsaGoldawardfromVisitIsleofWight’sGreenStarsustainabilityschemeandaGoldStarfromWightMarqueforreducingfoodmilesbyusingandsellinglocalproduce.

Wightlink’senvironmentalpartnersincludetheHampshireandIsleofWightWildlifeTrust’sSecretsoftheSolentinitiativetoeducatelocalpeopleaboutmarinewildlife,andIsland-basedArtecologywhichhasinstalledinnovativeartificialrockpools,knownas ‘Vertipools’ on its harbourwall atFishbourne.Thecompany is also involvedwithBlueMarineFoundation’sprogrammetorestoreoysterstotheSolent.Findoutmoreat:www.wightlink.co.uk/green.

Wightlink’s Green Agenda

ABP Southampton Air Quality Work

The Port of Southampton is committed to leading the wayin accelerating improvements in air quality across the city. Itreleased itsAir Quality Strategy last summer, committing to anumberoftargets.

Ithasbeenworkinghardwithitspartnersacrosstheportsinceand has provided an update on its progress against thesecommitments:

• 3600solarpanelsinstalledlastyear• 33newelectricforklifttrucksintroduced• 52%ofvehiclefleetisnowelectric

• 5airqualitymonitorsinstalled• 12newhybridstraddlecarriers• 550mcyclededicatedhighway• 9%increaseinrailcapacity

• 30μg/m3averageannualNO2.ItscontinuingworkwithportpartnersmeanstheannualaverageNO2concentrationacrosstheyearhasreducedtobelowtheUKNationalObjectiveof40μg/m3.

Findoutmoreat:southamptonvts.co.uk/Port_Information/Sustainability.

Photo courtesy of Wightlink

Shorepower,windturbinesandsolarpanelsare justsomeof theprojectsPortsmouth InternationalPort isproposingaspartofitsAirQualityStrategy,toreduceemissions and become the UK’s first zero emissionport.

Ambitions are for the port to be carbon neutral by2030;contributingtowardsthenationalcleanmaritimeplanfortheUKwhichseekstohavenetzeroshippingemissionsby2050.

Themost significant initiative is tooffer shorepoweras an alternative energy source for shipswhen theyvisit Portsmouth. Ships,with the ability to use shoresidepower,canplug-intotheport’selectricalsupply.Thismeanstheydonothavetoruntheirenginesandburnfuel.

Inordertounderstandtheimpactoftheinitiatives,theportwillworkwithSolentUniversitytointerrogatethedataonemissionlevels.

Find out more at: https://www.portsmouth-port.co.uk/about-us/sustainability.

Ecological Enhancement

MARINEFF Workshop on Isle of Wight

ExoEnvironmental areworkingwithpartnersonenvironmentalimprovementstohardengineeredstructuresandcoastaldefences.ItsresearchundertheSARCC(SustainableAndResilientCoastalCities)projectisleadingthewayforecologicalsurfacetextures,imprintedontoconventionalconcreteoreco-concrete.

Theyarecurrentlylookingforareasand/ororganisationsthatarewillingtohostapilotstudytoshowcasetheconceptandmonitorthelong-termbenefitstoecosystemservices.

Thesebespokesurfacetexturesincludeavarietyofindentation,crevicesandorientations thataim to increase thesurfaceareaandcomplexityofawall face.Thesecanbecreatedandfittedretrospectivelytoexistinghard-engineeringstructuresorcreatedduringthedesignprocessforoptimalresults.

Studieshaveshownspeciesrichnessanddiversitytobehigheron these specially designed textures than that of conventionalseawalls or rock-armour. This greening of otherwise “grey” infrastructure will also aid the local environment throughassociatedecosystemservices,whether this is by improving the localwater quality through filteringor prolonging thelifetimeofcoastaldefencesitisadjoinedtothroughbio-armouring.

PleasecontactLukeBryantformoredetailsat:luke.b@exo-env.co.uk.

Environmental Improvements to Hard Engineered Structures

The Marineff project, funded by the European RegionalDevelopmentFund,hosteditssecondworkshopatDinosaurIsleontheIsleofWightinNovember2019.

Marineff partner, Bournemouth University, and eco-engineering innovators, Artecology, gave presentationson the overall project with a focus on artificial rockpoolsinthemorning.ThiswasfollowedbyavisittotheartificialrockpoolsinstalledattheScienceBeachinSandown,partoftheIsleofWightUNESCOBiosphereReserve,andatourofArtecology’sworkshopwheredesignandaestheticmeetecologicalfunctioning.

AttendeesincludedBCPCouncil,MottMacDonald,andExoEnvironmentalandstrongrepresentationfromPortsmouthUniversity.

This important networking event gave attendees theopportunity to learn about pioneering eco-engineeringsolutions,andtomakepromisinglinks.

ThenextMarineffworkshopwillbepartoftheYoungCoastalScientistandEngineersConference2020,tobeheldfromApril6thto7th2020,hostedatBournemouthUniversity.

For more information on the project please see: http://marineff-project.eu/en/.

Enhancement of riverside public open space along theThames and other UK rivers, for people and wildlife, ishighlightedinupdatedguidanceforplannersanddevelopers,nowavailableonlineforthefirsttime.

The Estuary Edges handbook has been co-ordinated bythe Thames Estuary Partnership, in collaboration with theEnvironmentAgency.ItstransfertothewebwasprovidedbythePortofLondonAuthority.

It gives planners and developers detailed advice on howto boost biodiversity, by replacing foreshore infrastructuremadefrombrick,concreteandmetalwithmoreeco-friendlymaterials, providing vital new habitats for wildlife, such asfish, birds and insects. Currently only two percent of theedgesofthetidalThamesarenatural.

Italsopromotesgreaterpublicawarenessofimprovedriverareas,andtheopportunitieslinkedtotheplacementofartisticandeducationalinstallations,includingbenefitsforwellbeing.

The guidance includes information on: full set back/creekerosion management, intertidal vegetated terraces, walloptions, encroachment, masterplanning, archaeology andheritage, education, aesthetics and art, wildlife, plantingandgreenspace,fish,safetyandnavigation,monitoringandmaintenance, litter, sustainability and adaptability and theuseoftimber.

Viewtheguidanceat:https://www.estuaryedges.co.uk/.

Estuary Edges

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Coastal ManagementExplore Marine Plans

The Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO)ExploreMarinePlansdigitalserviceisnowlive.Afternearlytwoyearsofusertestinganddevelopment,theservicereplacesthepreviousMarineInformationSystem(MIS).Itdeliversimprovedfunctionalityfortheuser includingspatially integratedMarinePlanpolicies,relevantdatalayersandMarineLicensinginformation.

Usethisservicetofindandview:

• MarinedataonamapoftheEnglishmarinearea• Informationonmarineplanninglicencesrelating

toaspecificarea

• Policyinformationfromthemarineplans

Toaccessmarineplanpoliciesyoudrawapolygonofyourareaofinterestandthenthepoliciesthatapplyaredisplayed.

Accessthesystemat:https://explore-marine-plans.marineservices.org.uk/.

TheMMOhaspublishedthreereportsunderits‘SocialbaselinedataforMarinePlanning(MMO1132)’project.Initialworkonthisprojectstructuredandprioritisedsocialevidenceneedsandgapstosupportmarineplanning inEngland. Italsoprogressedthreepriorityresearchtopics:

• Healthandwellbeingbenefitsofcoastalrecreationandbarrierstoaccess.

• Seascapevalue,qualityandlinkswithsenseofplace.• Exploringthesocialimpactsofemergentmarinesectorsin

deprivedcoastalcommunities.

Keyfindingsfromtheprojectinclude:

• Visitingthecoastforrecreationwithchildreniswidelyseentobeadesirableactivityandonethatisassociatedwithpositivememoriesandvalues.

• Seascapes(innorthernDevon)generatearangeoffeelingsassociatedwithsenseofplaceamongcoastalresidents.Thisincludesfeelingsofrestorativeness,connectednesstonature,andplaceattachmentincludingplaceidentityandplacedependence.

• Emergentsectorscanhaveclearimpactsonlocaleconomiesandemploymentandwidercommunityinfrastructure.Thishasthepotentialtobringsignificantchangesinlocalperceptionsofanarea,andopiniononfutureprospects.

Viewat:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-baseline-data-for-marine-planning-mmo1132.

Social Baseline Data for Marine Planning Environment Bill Progresses

The forthcoming Environment Bill seeks to providea framework for maintaining and strengtheningenvironmentalstandardsastheUKleavestheEU.

Itwillcreateanindependentstatutorybodytoholdthegovernmenttoaccount,embedasetofenvironmentalprinciples across Whitehall and place the 25 YearEnvironmentPlanonastatutoryfooting.

A new independent Office for EnvironmentalProtection will scrutinise environmental policy andlaw, investigate complaints and take enforcementactionagainstpublicauthorities.Itsremitwillincludeall climate change legislation, allowing the office toholdthegovernmenttoaccountonitscommitmenttoreachnetzeroemissionsby2050.

The Chancellor’s Spring Statement for 2019confirmed that the government will also use theforthcomingBill tomandatenetgain forbiodiversityonnewdevelopmentsinEngland.

Monitor the Bill’s progress at: https://services.parliament.uk/Bills/2019-20/environment.html.

Find out more about biodiversity net gain fordevelopment at: https://cieem.net/i-am/current-projects/biodiversity-net-gain/.

Sample map of Socio-economic coastal typology in the Solent from Explore Marine Plans

ConservationTotal Ecosystem Management of the InterTidal Habitat (TEMITH)

Resilient Landscapes and Seas

TheUniversityofPortsmouth is collaboratingwithDeimosSpaceUK,basedinHarwell,onaEuropeanSpaceAgencyfundedprojectcalledTotalEcosystemManagementof theInterTidalHabitat(TEMITH).

Intertidal habitats are highly productive habitats of keyconservationvalue,achievingTotalEcosystemManagementrequires extensive habitat monitoring and assessmentof pressures. Drone and satellite technologies have theexcitingpotentialtoofferhighspatialandtemporalresolutiondataon local (drone)and thebroadest (satellite)scalesofcoverage.Ifsimplyaccessed,theseEarthObservationdatacan support comprehensive assessments and effectivedecision-making.

TheTEMITHprojectaimstodevelopaone-stopprototypeweb-based platform to determine the feasibility of usingsatellite and drone imagery to monitor key pressures inthe intertidal zone; namely opportunisticmacroalgalmats,sediment disturbance (e.g. digging, dredging, boat scars),and wastewater plumes.Machine learning techniques willbe employed to carry out feature extraction from EarthObservationdata;thequalityoftheresultswillbeevaluatedbypotential platformend-users inaworkshopplanned fortheendofFebruary2020.

NaturalEnglandand theSouthern InshoreFisheriesandConservationAuthority are keypartners associatedwith theprojectaspotentialend-usersof theplatform.With theproject’s focusspecificallyon theSolent region, feedback fromSolentstakeholdersisvitalfordevelopingaplatformthatisusefultoabroadrangeofusergroups.ForfurtherinformationontheTEMITHproject,orifyouareinterestedinparticipatingintheevaluationworkshop,pleasecontactShannonWhiteattheUniversityofPortsmouthatemail:shannon.white@port.ac.uk.

OneofNaturalEngland’sgoals,arisingfromitsprioritiessetoutinGovernment’s25YearEnvironmentPlan,istodevelopresilientlandscapesandseas.Twokeypiecesofworkarelinkingitsmarineconservationadvicetohabitatmaps and Defining Favourable Conservation Status(DFCS).

The habitat sensitivity maps will help policy makers,regulators,andstakeholders,managewiderseasissues.The maps combine existing Advice on Operationsinformation with habitat maps and detailed sensitivityinformation. Linking these datasetswill help to improveunderstanding of the sensitivity of the wider seas topressuresexertedbymarineactivities.

DFCSdefinitionswillsetoutNaturalEnglandaspirationsforthesespeciesandhabitatsinEngland.Thesubsequentstrategieswillguideandimproveitsnaturerecoverywork.

NaturalEnglandhas also recently refreshed itsHistoricEnvironment Strategy, to enable it to fully meet itsambitionstohelpdeliverthe25YearEnvironmentPlan.

Wilder SolentTheHampshire& IsleofWightWildlifeTrust has launcheda campaign,WilderSolent, dedicated tobuildingabrighterfutureforourmarineenvironment.Weoftenthinkoftheseaas distant fromour lives on land, but in realitymost of theproblemsitfaceshaveterrestrialorigins.

Bymakingsmall lifestylechangesathome,atwork,on theshore,oron thewater, theTrusthopeswecanallgiveourmarinewildlifeachancetotrulythrive.Youcantakepartasanindividualorevengetaclub,group,orworkplaceinvolved,findoutmoreat:www.hiwwt.org.uk/WilderSolent.

WilderSolent has been launchedas part ofSecrets of theSolent, a Wildlife Trust project supported by the NationalLottery Heritage Fund. Learn more at: www.hiwwt.org.uk/SecretsoftheSolent.

WorldView-2 satellite image of intertidal sediments. Image © 2018 DigitalGlobe, Inc.

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Harbours & BusinessBuckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour Reconfiguration Works

England’s Coast Ambassadors

England’sCoastisanewtourisminitiativebeingdeliveredby theNationalCoastalTourismAcademywith partners.TheSouthCoastisoneofeightkeyregionsfeatured.

It has developed a free customer service module, thathasbeendesigned forpeopleworking incoastal tourismbusinesses,focusingonwelcominginternationalvisitors.

Thelessonsexploretheimportanceofcustomercareanditsimpactonthelocalandnationaleconomy.Ithighlightsafewbasicsofcustomerservicewhichcanbeimplementedin business or places of work straight away. It presentsfacts and figures about international visitors, describesthekeysourcemarketsforEngland’scoastanddiscussessome ideasaboutwhatpeopleneed todo toattractandsatisfyinternationalguests.

Findoutmoreat:https://www.englandscoastambassador.co.uk/.

Works are now underway on the £2 millionredevelopment of Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbourto reconfigure and extend the Beaulieu Rivermarina.Themarina,locatednearthe18thcenturyshipbuilding village of Buckler’sHard in the heartof the New Forest, sits within the New ForestNational Park and is encompassed by significantenvironmentalandecologicaldesignations.

Buckler’sHardYachtHarbourwasopenedin1971andhas remained largely unchanged since1980,while the nature of vessels and demands of boatownershassignificantlychanged in this time.Theageinglifeofthepontoonequipment,andtheneedfor either replacement or refurbishment, providedan opportunity to consider the most appropriatedesignsolutionforpresentandfuturedemand.

Beaulieu Enterprises Ltd commissioned MarinaProjects Ltd to undertake a feasibility study. Thisreviewed the site’s constraints, activity, marketdemands,naturaladvantagesofthelocationandbusinesscasetoidentifyconceptdesignoptionsthatweresympathetictothecharacterofBuckler’sHardYachtHarbourandstakeholderfeedback.Refinementofthisprocessidentifiedalayoutthatprovides66additionalberths,alongwithimprovedprovisionofwalk-ashorevisitorberthing.

MarinaProjectsalsodevelopedacomprehensiveconsentstrategy.Thisconsideredtheproposalswithinthecontextofthesignificantestuary-widedesignationsandbuiltuponearlyadviceandengagementwithadvisorsandstatutorybodies.Thisapproach facilitated in-depth impactassessments thatconsidered the footprintand influenceof theprojectwithineachhabitatcomponentof thedesignatedsite; itdemonstratedanet increase indesignatedhabitatcouldbecreated.ThestrategyalsoidentifiedareasoftheriverwithinBeaulieuEstate’sstewardshipthatofferedpotentialforenvironmentalenhancement.

Thereconfigurationprojectwillrunoverthenexttwowinterswithcompletioninearly2021.

DP World’s UK terminals took home two prestigiousawardsattheLloydsLoadingListGlobalFreightAwards(2019).

The Port Operator of the Year award was awarded tothecompany’sUKbusinessunits,LondonGatewayandSouthampton,whichhaveenjoyedanother yearof highproductivityandgrowth.

DPWorldSouthamptonalsowontheProductInnovationaward for its hand tablet. The product uses the latestmobile device and advanced technology to provideDPWorld’s leading hand operators, who are based onvessels,withaccesstoliveoperationaldata.

Operatorscaninteractwiththeloadinganddischargingofavesselinrealtimetomakeonsitedecisions,improvingproductivityforcustomersandloweringcosts.

Awards for DP World Southampton

Development ProposalsMayflower Quarter

Southampton City Council has revealed developmentproposals for the city’s Mayflower Quarter. The 84hectaresite isoneof the largestcitycentre regenerationopportunitiesintheUK,extendingfromSouthamptontrainstationtothewaterfront.

Master planners will be appointed in January 2020 tohelprealise thevision.Thepreparationof themasterplanis expected to take up to twelve months, completing inDecember2020.ThiswillcoincidewiththeculminationoftheMayflower400celebrations.

Themasterplanwilllayoutalong-termvision,linkinginwiththecity’sLocalPlan,whichsetsoutthefuturedevelopmentofnewhomes,workspacesandfacilitiesacrossthewholeofthecityoverthenext20years.Investmentinsustainabletransportwillbekey; theSouthamptonCity region isoneof 12 areas shortlisted for a share of the national £1.2billionTransformingCities Fund from theDepartment forTransport.

Afinal bidwassubmitted to thisFund inNovember2019, it includesprojects thathave thepotential to transform thepublicrealminthecitycentre,connectingpeoplewiththeplacestheylive,workandgoforleisure.See:https://transport.southampton.gov.uk/media/1254/southampton-tcf-sobc-final-for-website.pdf.

Fawley WatersideFawley Waterside Ltd, have submitted outline planningapplications to New Forest District Council and the NewForest National Park Authority for a major developmentcentred on the oldFawleyPowerStation site adjacent toSouthamptonWater.

Thekeyelementsoftheproposalare:

• Thedemolitionofthepowerstationbuildings• Amixedusedevelopmentincluding1,500homes• 103,000squaremetresofnewcommercial,civicand

employmentspace

• Thecreationofacanalanddockandaboatstack• Atwoformentryprimaryschool• Publicopenspace• Habitatmitigationland• ThecreationofanewaccessroadofftheB3053

It is proposed to commence infrastructure developmentaftertheremovalofthepowerstationbuildingsin2021,withthefirsthomesbeingavailableby2023.

See:http://www.fawleywaterside.co.uk/.

PlanstobuildtheUK’sfirst‘car-freecommunity’havebeenunveiled, asPortsmouthCityCouncil proposes to build a4,000homeneighbourhoodaccessibleforjustpedestriansorbikes.

The development, that will include land reclamation, willprovide one million square feet of marine employmentland and c. 4,000 homes. It will also see over 200,000squaremetresofgreenspaceandaround2,250metresofaccessiblewaterfront.TheproposedreclamationelementswillbelinkedtotherestofthecitybyanewbridgeadjacenttotheexistingM275.

The 140 acre site, on the eastern side of PortsmouthHarbour, currently hosts aMOD firing range, two boatingclubsandaschool.

The Council has included proposals to compensate forany land to be reclaimed from intertidalmudflats. Detailsof the compensation and justification under the HabitatRegulations are being developed in consultation with thekeyconservationbodies.

Theproposalshavebeensentforplanningpermissionandwill go to public consultation in theNewYear. If planningpermissionisawarded,workcouldbeginin2023.

See:https://tipnerwest.portsmouth.gov.uk/.

Tipner West

Image courtesy of Southampton City Council

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Heritage

HMS InvincibleOne of Britain’s most important shipwrecks has beenremovedfromalistofendangeredsites,afteramultimillion-pound restorationproject fundedmostlybyfines from theLiborscandal.

HMS Invincible, a 74-gun warship once captured by theFrench,ranagroundintheSolentin1758.ItwaslostwhenitsrudderjammedanditstrandedonasandbankbetweenLangstoneHarbourand the IsleofWight, capsizing threedayslater.Noliveswerelost.

Hundreds of artefacts have been rescued from the 18thcenturywarship.Amongthefindsareagunpowderbarrel,swivel guns,woodworking tools and a sandglass used incalculating the ship’s speed. The excavation was a raceagainst time to rescue the artefacts for as the sandbankrecedes,itexposesthewrecktotheelementsandattacksfromshipwormandgribble.

After conservation at Poole’s Maritime Archaeology SeaTrust(MAST),theartefactswillgototheNationalMuseumoftheRoyalNavyinPortsmouth.

Archaeologistshopethefindswillhelpthembuildaclearerpictureofwhatlifewaslikeforsailorsmorethan200yearsago.

TheprojectisbeingledbyMAST,NationalMuseumoftheRoyal Navy and Bournemouth University, and is officiallyendorsedbytheDukeofEdinburgh.

Shipwreck Dive Trails

The 53 protected wreck sites off England are historicshipwreck sites of the highest significance. Very few ofthesewrecks lieabovewater.Marinearchaeologyusuallyliesdeepbeneaththewavesandoutofsightofthemajorityofthepopulation.Toenablethepublictoaccesssubmergedcultural heritage, Historic England has supported thecreationof:

• Virtualdivetrails-foreveryonetoexplorewrecksonline• Physicaldivetrails-fordiverstoaccessprotectedwrecks

Virtualdivetrailsusenewtechnologiessuchasmulti-imagephotogrammetric recording and virtual reality techniques.Thenewtechniquesallowviewerstoseeaclear3Dimageofasite.Notonlydotheybringmaritimearchaeologytolifeforthenon-diver,they’realoteasiertointerpretthanmoretraditional geophysical survey techniques or photographstaken in poor visibility.They canevenaid archaeologists’workon landbyallowingmeasurements tobe takenandanalysistobecarriedoutpost-dive.

Divetrailsarerunbylicenseesandcharterboatskippers,they enable interested divers to get responsible accessto protected wreck sites. Historic England has supportedthedevelopmentofthesedivetrailsandtheinterpretationmaterials they include. Divers visiting the trails get thebenefitof the insightandorientationprovidedbythetrailsand also the experience of the licensed teams and theirarchaeologists.

Viewthetrailsat:https://historicengland.org.uk/get-involved/visit/protected-wrecks/#Section1Text.

Mayflower 400The year 2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the historic voyage of theMayflowershipfromtheUKtothe‘NewWorld’ofAmerica.

The InternationalMayflowerCompactpartnership,hasbeencreated tobringtogetherelevencoreUKmemberdestinations,alongsidetheUnitedStatesofAmerica,theNativeAmericancommunityandtheNetherlands.OneoftheUKdestinationsisSouthampton.

Inthebuilduptoandduring2020,variouslocationshavecreatedaninternationalMayflowerTrail.Anaccompanyingculturalprogrammewillunitecommunities,inspirecreativity,driveeconomicgrowthandpromoteunderstanding.Over400‘moments’willtakeplace,rangingfrominternationalcivicceremoniestolocalcommunityevents.

The Southampton Maritime Festival will help to celebrate the city’s role inthestory; itwill takeoverSouthampton’shistoricdockswithawholehostofactivities andattractions that hark back to port’s past, celebrate itsmaritimerootsandexplorethefutureofourseas.Itwillrunfrom14thto16thAugust2020.

See: https://www.mayflower400uk.org/events/2020/august-2020/southampton-maritime-festival/. For details of nationaleventsandresources,see:https://www.mayflower400uk.org/.

More NewsD-Day at Lepe Reconstructed

OnD Day, 6 June 1944, thousands of troops with theirvehiclesand supplies left locations suchasLepeBeachin the New Forest for the beaches of Normandy. TodayatLepe, youcanstill accesssomeof the last remainingandbest-preservedmonumentsrelatingtothiskeyeventinBritishmilitaryhistory.Halfamileeastofthecarparksare concrete and brick structures used for two differentD-Dayelements;constructionofthesixMulberryHarboursCaissons,andembarkationhardQ2where7,986menand2,329vehiclesdeparted.

Following severe storms in early 1990, the RoyalCommission on the Historical Monuments of England(RCHME)undertookadetailedsurveyof thesite. Itwashoped that engineering work could be carried out tostabilisethemonumentandprotectitfromfurtherdamage.However,thiswasnottobethecaseandthethreemosteastly Caisson construction platforms were deliberatelybrokenupandlefttoactascoastaldefenceforthesurvivingplatforms.

Recently,withfundingfromtheNationalLotteryHeritageFundthroughthe‘OurPast,OurFutureLandscapePartnershipScheme’,archaeologistsfromtheNewForestNationalParkAuthorityworkedwiththeFriendsofLepevolunteerstoclearvegetationfromthestructures,beforetheChannelCoastalObservatoryandNewForestDistrictCouncilundertookdetailedlaserscanningoftheforeshore.WessexArchaeologywerethencommissionedtousethelaserscandataalongsidedronesurveydatacapturedbyCITiZANtore-constructStanswoodBay(Lepe)asitwouldhavebeenseeninMay1944.Thedataandmodelswillbeusedtomonitorthesite,promoteitandalsobecomeimportanteducationaltools.PleaseseemoreatNewForestKnowledge:https://nfknowledge.org/contributions/d-day-at-lepe-beach.

RYA Wins Sustainability AwardTheRoyalYachtingAssociationhasbeencrownedwinneroftheWorldSailing11thHourRacingSustainabilityAward,attheWorldSailingAwardsinBermuda.

Theawardcelebratestheeffectiveexecutionandongoingdelivery of high-impact, highly-replicable sustainabilityinitiatives, aligned to the World Sailing SustainabilityAgenda2030.

The RYA has, through The Green Blue, its jointenvironmentalinitiativewithBritishMarine,beendeliveringcutting-edge sustainability advice to the recreationalboatingsectorsince2005.

Phil Horton, the RYA’s Environment and SustainabilityManager,explainedhowtheprizemoneywillbespent:“ThisadditionalfundingwillbeusedtosupportTheGreenBlue’sdevelopmentofanationalvolunteerteam,whowillbefullytrainedtodelivertheenvironmentalprogramme’soutreachworkthrougheducationalactivities,talks,instructortrainingandevents.ThiswillensurethattheRYAandTheGreenBlueremainattheforefrontofsustainabilityforrecreationalboatingintheUK.”

TofindoutmoreaboutTheGreenBlue,pleasevisit:www.thegreenblue.org.uk.

Wholescape Approach to Marine Management

TheRiversTrustandtheCoastalPartnershipsNetworkhaverecentlybeguna16-monthproject,fundedbytheEuropeanMaritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), to support a moreintegratedandcollaborativeapproachtothemanagementofestuarineandcoastalwatersnationwide.

TheWholescapeApproachtoMarineManagement‘WAMM’project will explore how Coastal and Catchment BasedApproach (CaBA) partnerships can work more closely toaddresswater issuesfromlandtosea.Trainingworkshopsandwebinarswillbeheldtobuildknowledgeandexpertiseacrossarangeofissues.

Morecambe Bay has been selected as the primary pilotstudy location. The Morecambe Bay Coastal Partnershipand the three River Catchment Partnerships have beguna programme of collaborative working with a focus uponplasticsandtheirpresencewithinthecoastalandestuarineenvironment.

Theprojectwillbehostingaseriesofworkshops inSpring2020andtheSolentForumwillbeattendingtoputforwardtheviewsfromourCoastalPartnership.Pleasecontact theForumofficeat:info@solentforum.orgifthereisanythingyouwouldlikeustoraise.

Image courtesy of New Forest National Park Authority

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News & SnippetsReMEDIES Project

Snippets

England’s Coast Path Usage

• TheCalshotSpitwasawell-knownlandmarkinthecityofSouthamptonformanyyearswhenitguardedthegatestoOceanVillage.TheLightshipwillnowberestoredandopenedforthepublictoenjoyattheSolentSkyMuseum.

• Nanotechnologywillplayacrucialroleinthefuturemanagementofvesselcorrosionandbiofouling,accordingtoamajormaritimestudy.Thesecoatingsarecapableofprovidingsuperiorprotectionbecausetheyinvolvesubstanceswhichformandinteractonpreviouslyunreachablescales,inwhichthecorrosionandbiofoulingprocessesbegin.

• TheEnvironmentAgency’sWaterQualityArchiveprovidesdataonwaterqualitymeasurements.SamplesaretakenatsamplingpointsaroundEnglandandcanbefromcoastalorestuarinewaters,rivers,lakes,ponds,canalsorgroundwaters.Theyaretakenforanumberofpurposesincludingcomplianceassessmentagainstdischargepermits,investigationofpollutionincidentsorenvironmentalmonitoring.Thearchiveprovidesdataonmeasurementsandsamplesdatingfrom2000.See:https://environment.data.gov.uk/water-quality/view/landing.

• FoursailorsfromtheSouthamptonandNewForestareaswerepresentedwithoneoftheRoyalYachtingAssociation’smostprestigiousawardsbyHRHthePrincessRoyal,PresidentoftheRYA,inrecognitionoftheircommitmenttotheirsailingclubs.

• BritishMarineistomoveitsheadofficetoOceanVillage,Southampton.ItisanticipatedthenewofficeinTagusHousewillbeoperationalbySpring2020.

• AnewinitiativehasbeenlaunchedthisyearbyBirdAwareSolent.Itisacitizenscienceprojectcalled‘TheGreatSolentBirdWatch’.TheprojectseekstoraiseawarenessoftheoverwinteringbirdsthatvisittheSolentandhelppeopletobecomemoreconnectedtotheirlocalenvironment.

• An£8.13mprojecttotransformeightjunctionsontheA326,theroadconnectingthecoastalcommunitiesalongtheNewForestWatersideofSouthamptonWater,willnowcommencein2020,eightyearsaheadofschedule,followingapprovalbytheSolentLocalEnterprisePartnershipofa£5.691mgrant.

• TheSouthampton-basedMaritimeTrustareevaluatingsealevelrisebylookingatsubmergedculturalheritage.See:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2F_kVW0lrk&feature=youtu.be.

• The2MinuteBeachCleanhasjustbecomeacharity,The2MinuteFoundation.Itsmissionistoempower,educate,inspireandenableeveryonetotakepartinsimpleactionstocontributetotheplanet’swellbeing,aswellastheirown.See:https://beachclean.net/.

RecreationReMEDIES(RestoringandMitigatingErosionandDisturbance Impactsaffecting theSeabed)seeks toimprove the condition of subtidal and intertidal habitatssuch as seagrass and maerl in five Special Areas ofConservation(SAC)insouthernEngland:

• IslesofScilly• Fal&Helford• PlymouthSound&Estuaries• SolentMaritime• EssexEstuaries

Itwillachievethisbyworkingwithanumberofpartners,including the Marine Conservation Society, OceanConservationTrust(NationalMarineAquarium’scharitablearm), Plymouth City Council and the Royal YachtingAssociation.Itseekstodeliverimprovedmanagementofrecreational impacts and better stakeholder awareness.It will demonstrate habitat restoration/managementtechniques including seagrass restoration andinfrastructureimprovementsinkeysites.

TheprojectisEULIFEfundedandledbyNaturalEngland.

NewfiguresrevealthehugepopularityofEngland’scoastalpathswith29.1millionwalkingtripsmadeoverasix-monthperiod, boosting local economies and bringing health andwellbeingbenefitstovisitors.

The data was collected by Natural England. It shows thesignificantvalueofcoastalwalkingforhealthandwellbeing,with ninety seven percent of people feeling refreshed andrevitalisedasaresultoftheirvisit.

Analysisshowsthathalfofthevisitorstocoastalpathsarelocaldayvisitors, livingwithin10milesof thepath.Thesmallestusergroupwerenon-localdayvisitors(thirteenpercent),withtheremainingthirtyeightpercentbeingovernightvisitors.

Thedataalso revealed that visitsboosted theeconomyby£350million, with day-trippers spending on average £8.65perdayincoastalshopsandovernightvisitorsspendingonaverage £36.73. This supported more than 5,900 full-timeequivalentjobsalongtheEnglishcoast.

Thefullreport,‘Theeconomicandhealthimpactsofwalkingon English coastal paths: A baseline for future evaluation’can be viewed at: http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/6476962745024512?category=50007.

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Solent News

The Solent Forum

Since1992, theSolentForumhasprovidedaplatform todeliver IntegratedCoastalZoneManagement in theSolent sub-region of the southeast. It operates at a strategic coastalmanagement level, providing a networkforcloserworkingrelationships,informationdisseminationanddiscussionoftopicalcoastalissues.TheSolentForummembersmeettwiceayearandwillnextmeeton11March2020.

SolentNewsispreparedandeditedbytheSolentForumOfficers.Itisabiannualpublicationandissue48willbeproducedinsummer2020.Tofindoutmoreaboutthepublication,howtosubmitarticlesorbeincludedonthemailinglist,pleasevisitwww.solentforum.org/publications/solent_news/.

Contact Information

Solent Forumc/o Hampshire County CouncilEconomy, Transport and Environment Department EII Court West 1st Floor, The CastleWinchester SO23 8UDTel: 01962 846027Email: info@solentforum.org. Twitter @solent_forum

HMS Prince of Wales Arrives in Portsmouth

InNovember,HMSPrinceofWalessailedintoherhomeportofPortsmouthforthefirsttime.ThecarriersailedfromRosyth,whereshewasassembled,withamixedship’scompanyofRoyalNavysailors(600-plus)andaround300civiliancontractorsonboardtotakeherthroughtrialsintheNorthSea.

SheisoneofthemostpowerfulsurfacewarshipseverconstructedintheUK.Herflightdeckis70metreswideand280metreslongandsheholds45days’worthoffoodinstores.Shewillhaveacrewcomplement(minimumcrew)ofaround700,increasingtoaround1,600withaircraftonboard.Shecanembark36F-35BandfourMerlinHelicopters.

HMSPrinceofWales’arrivalmeansPortsmouthNavalBaseisnowhometotwoaircraftcarriers.Theyardhasbeenmodernised to accommodate the two ships,with £30million spent on strengthening and upgrading thebase’sVictoryJetty.

ThefollowingorganisationssteertheworkoftheSolentForum: