New rules and Regulations going before Parliament.

[oldgit]

Went to a meeting this week open to all river users regards new bill going before parliament.Several local marina owners were there including representatives from a well known international company as well as local boat clubs and nosy parkers like me.
This one way or another will affect just about anybody who has an interest in boating on UK rivers and estuaries.The matter off dredging or rather the disposal of spoil.

Down here on the Medway we have a problem with silting,the decline in commercial shipping has resulted in no dredging being carried out for many many years with the obvious result.
The problem is that it appears that under the new rules even a local club power washing off its slipway or making the gutway to its moorings at bit deeper will require permission to do so,involving a soil test to check for toxic chemicals and a plan to dispose of the spoil at an authorised site.This will mean serious amounts of money.
This may be fine for a commercial business such as the power company about to move a few thousand square yards of mud to deepen the berths at Sheerness power station,but to a local non profit making sailing club operating on what goes in the tea tin,it will be a problem.
Anybody heard anything eleswhere ?

 

[rafiki_]

I'm in Tewkesbury Marina, on both the Severn and Avon. Severn is run by BWB, Avon by a Trust, and have heard nothing. Mind you, I'm not aware of any dredging.

 

[moonraker 36]

bwb hav'nt done any serious dredging for years..

 

[ProDave]

bwb hav'nt done any serious dredging for years..

Not true. 2 weeks ago they were most definitely dredging part of the Leeds & Liverpool canal.

 

[bluerm166]

Dredging etc.

I believe this is all part of the Marine Conservation Zones currently being defined,of which the Medway estuary is one.It is in the 'final' draft of the recommendations being proposed by the 'Balanced Seas' study Group ( i.e.South East Coastal area ).The 'final' draft was published in July ( its on the web) ,but curiously doesn't yet contain any actual management proposals,which may well include specific dredging/fishing/anchoring/mooring controls.There will be a three month public consultation period next year,before the areas are defined by law.Perhaps the boating community will then take an interest.Currently views have been taken from 'stakeholders' including the RYA and others.

 

[Bilgediver]

I believe this is all part of the Marine Conservation Zones currently being defined,of which the Medway estuary is one.It is in the 'final' draft of the recommendations being proposed by the 'Balanced Seas' study Group ( i.e.South East Coastal area ).The 'final' draft was published in July ( its on the web) ,but curiously doesn't yet contain any actual management proposals,which may well include specific dredging/fishing/anchoring/mooring controls.There will be a three month public consultation period next year,before the areas are defined by law.Perhaps the boating community will then take an interest.Currently views have been taken from 'stakeholders' including the RYA and others.

Scottish National Heritage went n this band waggon some years go. They wanted to stop the cleaning of slipways(better to have injured Joe Public than upset the mussels and sea urchins...A limitation on the numbers of buoy moorings and control of dredging in several areas. Slip cleaning was eventually allowed under controlled conditions but other restrictions seem to still exist though SNH and most folk have now forgotten what was put n place all those years go!!!!!!!!!

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I wonder if its worth writing specifically to your MP over the issue?

 

[oldgit]

I wonder if its worth writing specifically to your MP over the issue?

Already involved

 

[moonraker 36]

Not true. 2 weeks ago they were most definitely dredging part of the Leeds & Liverpool canal.

err..one canal i would'nt call that serious dredging.
most of the commerical barges have stopped running around my area. as they had to run light loads because of the depth of water.