A nature conservation perspective of port-related dredging

The majority of UK ports, and especially those in England, lie within estuaries or on coastlines that are designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Ramsar sites for their international wildlife interest. The EC Habitats Directive establishes an audit trail for evaluation of commercial development and its impact on Natura 2000 sites (SAC and SPA). It is therefore inevitable that port activity will come under scrutiny, both in terms of capital projects and ongoing operations. Much experience has been gained since the Habitats Regulations passed into UK law in 1994. Dredging has been at the forefront of the debate because it has the potential to influence the way in which inter-tidal habitats evolve, maintain themselves and support wildlife interest. It is also highlighted as having possible impacts on fish, especially migratory fish for which some estuaries are designated. This paper explores some of the issues and the solutions that have been found.