Solent Forum News – May 2023

~ SPS Editor

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

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

  1. Archaeology and Heritage
  2. Biodiversity and Conservation
  3.  Boating and Watersports
  4. Business and Industry
  5. Coastal Communities
  6. Fisheries
  7. Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management
  8. Grants, Jobs, Funding and Research
  9. Litter and Plastics
  10. Ports, Harbours and Shipping
  11. Recreation and Tourism 
  12. Water Quality
  13. Consultations

Archaeology and Heritage

Biodiversity and Conservation

  • The tern rafts at the RSPB West Hayling project site are now back and full of terns.
  • Watch a Cefas presentation on marine non-native species as part of Invasive Species week.
  • The latest (40th) Annual Report of the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) – Waterbirds in the UK 2021/22 providing statistics up to June 2022, has been published.
  • A total of 30,000 oysters are to be transferred from South Wales to seed in the new habitat being created in the Swanwick bend of the River Hamble in Hampshire. The multi-million pound initiative is part of the Solent Seascape Project.

 Boating and Watersports

  • A new electric boat motor uses wind and water to recharge its batteries at sea. The new Oceanvolt ServoProp saildrive, has a regeneration feature that efficiently charges up an electric boat’s batteries while sailing.
  • Traditional wooden boat building has been added to the ‘endangered’ list of crafts, according to new research by Heritage Crafts. The organisation’s research tracks traditional craft skills on the verge of extinction in the UK.

Business and Industry

  • Ocean Business, the hands-on ocean technology exhibition and training forum returned to NOC Southampton in April.  Over 300 companies and 5,000 participants from 80 countries spent three days networking and idea sharing to help define the future of ocean technology.
  • Trinity House have started work on the project to modernise The Needles Lighthouse.
  • The world-class research ship RRS Discovery, is the first UK Royal Research Ship to be refitted in Babcock’s Rosyth facilities as part of the Government’s £45 million award to maintain its flagship scientific research vessels.
  • Berthing at boatfolk’s Gosport based Haslar Marina is being given a boost with the installation of a 70m wave attenuating breakwater in an exposed area of the marina.
  • The Solent Cluster recently welcomed a delegation of officials from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero to its member, ExxonMobil’s Fawley site. During the visit, members of the Cluster, which included SGN, SSE and Solent LEP, outlined the  potential of the project to deliver decarbonisation solutions, economic development and societal benefits. They also shared plans for hydrogen distribution and the decarbonisation of energy generation assets.
  • The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) hosted a visit from Science Minister George Freeman, as part of a wider tour of the Solent region. Organised by the Solent LEP, the Minister led a roundtable discussion with local businesses and organisations on maritime innovation and decarbonisation of the Solent economy.
  • Offshore wind farms in UK waters generated enough power to meet the electricity needs of 41% (11.5m) of the nation’s homes in a new record year in 2022, according to the latest Offshore Wind Report from The Crown Estate.

Coastal Communities

  • Border Force, in partnership with Crimestoppers, have refreshed and relaunched Project Kraken, a joint law enforcement operation tackling maritime threats to the UK this summer. The refresh includes the creation of a Coast Crime Line, a single bespoke reporting telephone number (0800 011 3304), unique QR code and anonymous reporting to assist the public in understanding what coastal crime is and what to look out for.
  • UKSA has announced that it has received sponsorship from WightFibre to fund Year 6 islanders to undertake its Test the Water programme until 2026. The funds will enable all Year 6 island children to participate in a free half-day watersports session this year, in a bid to support them to gain water-confidence alongside introducing them to sailing.
  • Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Marine Support Unit has been helping to train Nigerian drug enforcement officers to aid in the fight against serious organised crime that affects both countries.

Fisheries

Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management

  • There is a series of public exhibitions coming up for the Hurst to Lymington strategy, dates are as follows:

Wednesday 13 June 2023, 10.00am – 4.00pm Milford on Sea Community Centre
Wednesday 21 June 2023, 10.00am – 4.00pm United Reform Church, Lymington High Street SO41 9AG
Friday 30 June 2023, 2.00pm – 7.00pm Lymington Community Association SO41 9BQ
Saturday 1 July 2023, 10.00am – 1.00pm Lymington Community Association SO41 9BQ
Wednesday 12 July 2023, 2.00pm – 7.00pm, All Saints Church, Milford on Sea SO41 0SQ
Thursday 13 July 2023, 7.00pm – 8.30pm ONLINE Briefing, please register.

Grants, Jobs, Funding and Research

  • The Promoting Adaptation to Changing Coasts (PACCo) project, a pre-emptive climate adaptation, habitat restoration, and infrastructure improvement initiative, has published a free-to-access, practical guide.
  • Cefas has launched a new research hub, the International Centre for Ocean Protection and Use (iOPUS). The Centre is aimed at finding solutions for the sustainable management and conservation of the world’s ocean.
  • Scientists from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) have authored a report for the UK Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) that shows how UK seas could see significantly higher waves and stronger storms as a result of climate change.
  • A new zero-emissions solution for high-speed passenger ferries is being developed between Solent University, Chartwell Marine and Newcastle Marine Services. After the development of an original concept by Solent University, the group is aiming to develop an electric hydro-foiling high-speed trimaran, capable of carrying up to 40 passengers on short to medium range coastal routes. This £1.86m project is being funded by Innovate UK, under the Cleaner Maritime Demonstration Competition.

Litter and Plastics

  • New research from the University of Stirling has found that dangerous bacteria are able to survive the journey from sewage treatment plants to beaches on microplastic pollution. During their study, scientists from the University’s Faculty of Natural Sciences found drug-resistant bacteria colonising microplastics on Scottish beaches.

Ports, Harbours and Shipping

  • The Decarbonising Ports & Harbours Innovation Network’s objective is to raise the profile of the critical part ports and harbours need to play in Maritime transport’s transition to net zero by 2050 and accelerate this transition by giving clear direction. Find out more at: https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/infrastructure/decarbonising-ports-harbours/.
  • Visitors to the Beaulieu River website can now access live tidal height, water depth at the river entrance, and atmospheric data – plus live images from the Beaulieu Harbour Jetty, see: https://beaulieuriver.co.uk/visiting/height-depth-atmospheric-live-data/.
  • James Hassett will be joining the Solent Freeport as its first Chief Executive in June 2023.
  • Estudio Cactus, in cooperation with Portsmouth International Port, has been awarded £100,000 to trial its health, safety, security and environment software to provide operators with real-time information to improve resource management. This is one nine projects that have been awarded a total of £1.2 million by the UK government through Connected Places Catapult’s first accelerator programme as part of the Freight Innovation Fund.
  • The Port of Southampton has welcomed two LNG-powered cruise ships on their maiden calls at its state-of-the-art Horizon Cruise Terminal. The Terminal opened in September 2021, is equipped with shore power capability and is fitted with more than 2000 roof-mounted solar arrays.

Recreation and Tourism 

  • Natural England is inviting you to celebrate the opening of the England Coast Path with a series of free events taking place across the country this year.
  • Do you need resources to manage visitor pressure and help support the Countryside Code? If so, there is a free digital toolkit you can use.
  • From 1 May, dogs are not allowed on the beach at the Hotwalls in Old Portsmouth, or on the area between Southsea Castle and the Royal Marines statue on Eastney Esplanade.

Water Quality

  • During previous RBMP consultations, stakeholders highlighted an insufficient focus on estuaries and coasts (E&C) within RBMPs. The Environment Agency have therefore prepared a ‘RBMP Estuaries and Coasts Information Pack’ to help signpost and provide further guidance to stakeholders with a specific interest in the E&C environment. It focusses on opportunities or suggested mechanisms to support the delivery of the potential measures of relevance to E&C, either through direct actions within the E&C environment, or indirectly, by taking actions upstream and applying a ‘catchment to coast’ approach.
  • The Bathing Water season has started.  Swimfo allows you to look up details of a designated bathing water by name or location.

Consultations