Over the past 15 years we have invested through our offshore research programme over £1 million in projects aimed at understanding and mitigating the impacts of aggregate dredging and other marine activities. This research underpins our commercial activities and helps us to develop a responsible approach to managing our resources.
Studies have ranged from investigations into how aggregate dredging affects sediment movement, to looking at impacts on benthic communities, submerged landscapes and archaeology. More recently we have supported data management and seabed habitat mapping projects funded through our marine stewardship programme, as well as investigations of coastal processes and energy usage.
Case Studies
The following lists detail just some of the significant projects that we have helped to fund. Many link to executive summaries or full reports either in Adobe Acrobat format or to other websites.
Coastal Impact Studies:
Use of Energy
Sediment Movement Studies:
Environmental Impact Studies:
Database and Information Access Studies:
-
 MarLIN, Marine Life Information Network (Ongoing)
Seabed Management Studies:
- Bristol Channel Marine Aggregate Dredging Policy (2000)
- Regional Seabed Sediment Studies, Assessment of Marine Aggregate Dredging (1998)
Archaeological Studies:
- Submerged Landscapes and Prehistory in the Solent (2001)
- The Story Beneath the Solent (2000)
- Isle of White Archaeological Project (1992)
Historical Reviews:
Further Research
Details of further research relating to marine aggregate dredging can be found on the British Marine Aggregates Producers Association (BMAPA) and Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) websites. The ALSF was established in 2002 and uses revenue from a levy on material derived from aggregate extraction to fund research looking at the environmental effects of the aggregate industry. Although the fund covers the entire industry, each year it devotes several million pounds to marine based projects.
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