Marinet challenges the need and impact of marine aggregate dredging
At a time when the marine aggregate industry is continuing to re-apply for renewed licences to extract sand and gravel from the sea bed off Great Yarmouth, East Anglia — specifically at the present time Areas 212, 240, 328B and C by Hanson Marine Aggregates Ltd, see map below — Marinet asserts and wants it to be understood by the licensing agency — the Marine Management Organisation — by the marine aggregate industry and by the public at large that there are serious alternatives to seabed aggregate extraction and the damage which extraction causes to the marine life in the area involved.
Marinet has no commercial interests or benefits from the advice and information which it records here.
Map showing Aggregate Dredging Areas off Great Yarmouth.
Area 212 : (located due north at the top of the map).
Areas 328 B and 328 C : (located southward of Area 212 in the centre of the map).
Area 240 : Located due west at the centre of the map).
Marinet believes that marine aggregate extraction is involved in the ruination of our seabed and adjacent salt marsh, dunes and coastline, and results in a huge by-catch of fish during the dredging process (all of which dies) as well the smothering of downtide areas. It is, in Marinet’s opinion, one of the most damaging activities licensed by the UK government in our seas at the present time.
The worst part of it all is that the extraction is essentially unnecessary, being capable of being met from other mineral resources in the UK at a greatly reduced environmental cost; and, even marine extraction were to continue to be licensed, it could be done so in a manner that would greatly reduce fish by-catch and the adverse impact on other marine life on the seabed.
With respect to alternative mineral resources, we reported in Latest News back in April 2011 that “Now that Japan, like Europe (but sadly not Britain) has banned Offshore Aggregate Dredging, a new market opportunity has arisen to fill the void created by the resultant shortage of sand and asphalt supply to the construction industry.
“Springing from some remarkable research and development by the Japanese Kotobuki Engineering & Manufacturing Co. Ltd (‘Kemco’) a company called KAYASAND has now been formed in New Zealand that manufactures by reprocessing the usually discarded waste crusher dust produced in the quarries to form a high quality sand equating to the natural source and often even superior. These plants are already manufacturing some 35% of Japan’s sand needs
“KAYASAND has already embarked upon a program with Cardiff University subsidised by the Welsh Aggregate Levy Fund to prove the effectiveness of this technology in reducing quarry waste in Wales while producing a viable alternative sand for the Welsh and UK construction industries.
“Now that the UK is reducing the waste once deposited in the vacated and closed inland quarries, they can be returned to the environment to provide reservoirs and lakes for wildlife, recreation and fishing, at the same time as reducing the leachate threat to the aquifer, rivers and sea. If the KAYASAND methodology is taken up, considerable pressure will be taken off our fish spawning beds and our coastline. Furthermore, a dramatically reduction in CO2 Emissions and cost is produced.
“Full details about the technology and methodology can be found on the KAYASAND website at www.kayasand.com “.
Marinet has met with Kayasand and, without favour or prejudice to either party, can now confirm that the process has a solid track record and the company is currently hoping to open a plant in Australia.
The huge advantage of the process from the UK perspective is that it would greatly reduce the need for the UK to extract sand and gravel from our seabed. For example, South Wales currently sources nearly all its building sand from the Bristol Channel area, and London meets nearly all its building sand and gravel needs from offshore UK sites, such as those off East Anglia.
If the Kayasand process were applied instead quarry waste from existing and redundant inland quarries could be used, thus making use of an unused mineral resource of low environmental impact by comparison to marine aggregate dredging. In addition, the Kayasand process would maximise the usefulness of demolition waste (old concrete).
With respect to fish by-catch at marine extraction sites, a faunafauna The animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment-friendly suction process has been developed by marine engineer, Ray Drabble. This process is currently reported on by Marinet on the Marine Aggregate page of our website — entitled “Technology to assist Fauna Friendly Marine Dredging” — again without favour or prejudice to either party.
Essentially, Ray Drabble’s process applies a device to the marine dredger’s seabed suction machinery which ensures that fish and other marine life are diverted away from the sucker and released unharmed onto the adjacent seabed. Thus fish mortality and associated marine kill is greatly reduced.
These two items of good news have, however, had no impact to date on the marine aggregate companies. Despite their clear benefits in environmental terms, the aggregate companies are either rejecting them because they have their capital already invested in dredgers and associated port facilities — and thus do not want to write this off and turn instead to quarry waste — or are doing so because the capital required to apply the new devices — the fauna friendly suction by-pass technology — is another item which reduces their profit.
Marinet believes that the aggregate companies and the government and its agencies, and indeed the public at large who appear so apathetic to the concerns of marine life and protection of their ecosystem, are behaving in a wholly dysfunctional way. Can they not see what is happening to our seas ? Can they not see what is being done in the name of “society and progress” as another huge building for commerce or residential occupation rises from the ground whilst being constructed from marine aggregate?
If Marinet had the resources, it would call in a psychiatrist to explain this extraordinary behaviour.
