The review and estimates were presented to Natural England (NE) who acted as
advisors on the natural environment to the MFA. This information enabled the
applicant and NE to arrive at an adaptive management plan which entailed
the applicant carrying out an environmental baseline study prior to development.
The study covered a comprehensive range of parameters including biodiversity,
species abundance, sediment and water chemistry, redox potential, sediment particle size distribution and hydrodynamics at a local and regional scale. The baseline
study will be followed by further monitoring to detect any changes to the environment during development. This study will be carried out on the trial sites and on
the first stages of development of the full commercial scale farm not adjacent to the
mSAC. Results from these studies would then inform a decision on whether permission would be granted to develop the third site that is adjacent to the mSAC.
Socio-Economic Impact
The nature of the suspended culture mussel farm meant that a number of other
activities would be physically excluded from the area, some would be curtailed and
some would be enabled and possibly enhanced.
The principle marine activities in the area were:
• Fishing with mobile gear such as trawls and dredges
• Fishing with static gear such as pots, hand lines and set nets
• Leisure uses, i.e. angling, scuba diving and navigation for leisure vessels.
It was apparent that mobile gear would necessarily be excluded from the area,
while fishing with static gear such as hand lines and angling, and scuba diving
could continue to take place and could possibly be enhanced by the reef effect of the
mussel ropes in the water column in an area where there was previously very little
physical complexity and relief.
In reaching their positive decisions, the MFA and the Crown Estate reviewed the
existing level of economic activity at the proposed areas and compared this with
what could continue to take place on site together with the new economic activity
that would be generated by the farm in terms of onshore, offshore and downstream
employment.
The UK and the wider European Community currently relies heavily on imports
and so also taken into account was the strategic need to improve security of supply
of seafood and the fact that the establishment of this pioneering farm would provide
information that would inform future offshore developments.
9.3.4.6 Discussion—Future Regulation and Co-location
of Offshore Aquaculture
Marine aquaculture in most of its various forms is a relatively new activity that has
to compete for limited space in the marine environment with more long term,
9 Regulation and Permitting of Standalone …
221
advisors on the natural environment to the MFA. This information enabled the
applicant and NE to arrive at an adaptive management plan which entailed
the applicant carrying out an environmental baseline study prior to development.
The study covered a comprehensive range of parameters including biodiversity,
species abundance, sediment and water chemistry, redox potential, sediment particle size distribution and hydrodynamics at a local and regional scale. The baseline
study will be followed by further monitoring to detect any changes to the environment during development. This study will be carried out on the trial sites and on
the first stages of development of the full commercial scale farm not adjacent to the
mSAC. Results from these studies would then inform a decision on whether permission would be granted to develop the third site that is adjacent to the mSAC.
Socio-Economic Impact
The nature of the suspended culture mussel farm meant that a number of other
activities would be physically excluded from the area, some would be curtailed and
some would be enabled and possibly enhanced.
The principle marine activities in the area were:
• Fishing with mobile gear such as trawls and dredges
• Fishing with static gear such as pots, hand lines and set nets
• Leisure uses, i.e. angling, scuba diving and navigation for leisure vessels.
It was apparent that mobile gear would necessarily be excluded from the area,
while fishing with static gear such as hand lines and angling, and scuba diving
could continue to take place and could possibly be enhanced by the reef effect of the
mussel ropes in the water column in an area where there was previously very little
physical complexity and relief.
In reaching their positive decisions, the MFA and the Crown Estate reviewed the
existing level of economic activity at the proposed areas and compared this with
what could continue to take place on site together with the new economic activity
that would be generated by the farm in terms of onshore, offshore and downstream
employment.
The UK and the wider European Community currently relies heavily on imports
and so also taken into account was the strategic need to improve security of supply
of seafood and the fact that the establishment of this pioneering farm would provide
information that would inform future offshore developments.
9.3.4.6 Discussion—Future Regulation and Co-location
of Offshore Aquaculture
Marine aquaculture in most of its various forms is a relatively new activity that has
to compete for limited space in the marine environment with more long term,
9 Regulation and Permitting of Standalone …
221