The post below reproduces the content of the Solent Forum Newsletter emailed to the forum members in March 2023 with content reproduced here by kind permission.

Use the following table of contents to jump to a specific topic.

Archaeology and Heritage

The North Sea Prehistory and Management Framework, which captures all available knowledge about the English North Sea’s submerged prehistory to support future investigation and management, is now live at: https://researchframeworks.org/nsprmf/
Did you know that there is a book that records all disasters at sea? It is a hefty, leather-bound tome that records the sunken and the missing. You can see it on the famous underwriting floor of Lloyd’s of London, the insurance market. They call it the Casualty Book.
Collective Spirit, the sailing yacht that was built using over 1200 donations of wooden items to celebrate the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, has been acquired by Universal Yachting. Her first public appearance after many years will be at the South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show, 21-23 April in Ocean Village Marina, Southampton.

Biodiversity and Conservation

From November, developers in England will be required to deliver 10% “Biodiversity Net Gain” when building new housing, industrial or commercial developments. Small sites have until April 2024 to comply with the regulations.
Defra has announced that the Government will designate the first three Highly Protected Marine Areas in English waters. The three sites being taken forward will be designated before 6 July 2023 and are Allonby Bay (Irish Sea), Dolphin Head (Eastern Channel) and North East of Farnes Deep (Northern North Sea).
Scientists have found a new disease in wild birds caused by plastic pollution. Small pieces of plastic inflaming the digestive tract, lead to plasticosis with birds struggling to digest food.
A new trial taking place in Chichester is the first major activity taking place as part of the Solent Seascape Project. The Chichester Harbour Protection & Recovery of Nature (CHaPRoN) partnership will look at the benefits of repurposing dredge sediment taking 2500 cubic meters of material dredged from the channel approach to Chichester Marina to rebuild the shoreline where saltmarsh has been lost.
A unique seagrass seed sorting machine has been developed for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust by a team of engineering students at the University of Delft in the Netherlands.

Boating and Watersports

The Ocean Conservation Trust is launching a new partnership with Clean Sailors and navigation app, savvy navvy, to help to protect seagrass. Users of the savvy navvy app will be able to see the location of sensitive seagrass habitats and Advanced Mooring Systems.
A shifting bank of shingle in the Solent has prompted a warning to sailors. Lymington RNLI said the bank, measuring a few hundred metres in length, emerges at low tide to the east of Hurst Spit near Lymington. It said the shingle bar continues to change size and location, and has made the water “considerably shallower”. Seafarers have been told to be “extra careful” when navigating around the spit.
British Canoeing is supporting major UK retailers to increase their provision of safety guidance for stand up paddleboards, purchased in store and online. Tesco will be using their SUP infographic as a safety sticker on all Tesco Stand Up Paddleboards, that also includes a QR code linked to the Go Paddling website to provide further information.
British Canoeing has been formally recognised as a National Governing Body for Stand Up Paddleboarding, after receiving confirmation from Sport England.
A new Citizen Science project is being undertaken in Chichester and Langstone Harbours, led by the University of Brighton, it is looking at pollution in the Harbours caused by fibreglass boats. The team are keen to hear from the local community around Chichester and Langstone Harbours concerning aquatic littering and pollution. Find out more by contacting the project’s research team: Dr Corina Ciocan: c.ciocan@brighton.ac.uk or Dr Mary Gearey: m.gearey@brighton.ac.uk.
Do you know your Wingsurfing from your Windfoiling? Read an article from UKSA to find out more about these sports.
Read the Blue Green’s Antifouling – The sustainable boaters’ guide. This shares top tips for lowering environmental impact whilst antifouling boats this season.

Coastal Communities

Government proposals for tax premiums on second homes and empty properties are currently going through Parliament. Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet is set to support the plans, which could allow it to double the council tax on second homes. The island has more than 2,700 second homes.
English Tourism Week is an annual celebration that highlights the importance, value and vast contribution that tourism makes to the UK economy. The celebration runs from 17-26 March, and this year it celebrates all the amazing people, businesses, experiences and places to stay. See what is on offer in Portsmouth at: English Tourism Week 2023 (visitportsmouth.co.uk).

Fisheries

Natural England have published Fisheries Impacts on Marine Protected Habitats – A Review of the Evidence (NEER023).

Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management

Drone footage has shown severe damage to a seawall that partially collapsed during storms at Ventnor.
Havant Borough Council will be carrying out its annual beach recycling campaign during March. These works will help reinstate the beach profile following the winter period and will help to reduce the risk of coastal flooding and erosion to the properties at Eastoke.

Grants, Jobs, Funding and Research

The Marine Climate Change Impacts hub now sets out how climate change is likely to affect the physical, societal and ecosystems of our coast.
Apply for funding to enhance the resilience, health and wellbeing of UK coastal communities and seas. See: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/resilient-uk-coastal-communities-and-seas/.

Litter and Plastics

The Environment Agency has launched interactive ‘Source to Sea’ posters across Plymouth. Residents and visitors can now scan poster QR codes at multiple locations to find out how single-use avoidable plastic items like nappies, packets, wet wipes and sanitary products. They also illustrate the impact on marine life when incorrectly flushed down the toilet or discarded in the open environment.
A new study by Plymouth University has demonstrated the effect of exposing juvenile mussels to polyester and cotton microfibres at environmentally relevant concentrations over a prolonged timescale. The young mussels subjected to higher levels of plastic microfibres showed restricted growth, which could have compounding effects throughout the marine ecosystem as well as potential commercial implications.

Ports, Harbours and Shipping

ABP have published their sustainability strategy, ‘Ready for Tomorrow‘.
See a great infographic from the British Ports Association for Mapping Port Regulation.
A luxury superyacht which is considered one of the world’s biggest has dropped anchor in Portsmouth. Opera arrived at Portsmouth Harbour from Bremen, northern Germany. The 479ft long ships is valued at $450 million.
Read an interview by Mike Sellers, Portsmouth International Port Director and Chair of the British Port Association, touching on topics such as the role of ports as energy hubs, freeports, and the cruise sector.
Chichester Harbour Conservancy are delighted to announce the appointment of Captain Joanna Cox as the next Harbour Master at Chichester Harbour. Jo is currently the Harbour Master of the Falkland Islands, and formerly Master of the Royal Research Ship Discovery. The majority of her 17-year seafaring career was gained on research and logistic vessels operated by the Antarctic Survey and National Oceanographic Centre.
Maritime Minister Baroness Vere was in Southampton on Friday, 17 March, for a port tour, hosted by the UK Chamber of Shipping and Associated British Ports.
Portsmouth Port are several weeks into dredging at The Camber, with 3000m³ of material now removed.

Recreation and Tourism

KHM has issued a LNTM about Cross Solent Swims.

Water Quality

The 2023 Solent Bathing Water Quality Awards are now available to view: Solent Forum – SOLENT BATHING WATER QUALITY AWARDS SCHEME DETAILS AND RESULTS.
The Environment Agency are to review the permits of waste-water treatment works discharging into the Solent and Southampton Water in line with the 2024 price review (PR24) requirements; these now include the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill (LURB) requirements for nutrient pollution reduction. These requirements place a statutory duty on water and sewerage companies in England to upgrade wastewater treatment works to the highest technical achievable limits by 2030 in nutrient neutrality areas.

Consultations

Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is seeking views on a draft byelaw, and associated Impact Assessment, to manage fishing using bottom towed gear in 13 marine protected areas (MPAs). This includes the Wight-Barfleur reef. Deadline 28 March.