Marine Life & Conservation
Marine Conservation Zone In Cornwall Under Threat From Super Quarry
Once again, industry seems to be flying in the face of conservation and the concerns of local people. Two companies, Shire Oak Energy and Shire Oak Quarries are trying to open a dormant quarry (Dean Quarry) which is situated on the beautiful Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. The environments in which we live throughout the world are continually being destroyed in the name of short term profit and thoughtless greed. Once again the wishes of a local parish council seem to be being over ruled by County Council. Why are large companies allowed to over rule the wishes of local people and why is the time and money used in setting up protected areas wasted so easily? As we progress into the 21st century I always hope we can learn from past mistakes and protect precious environments that make our own living spaces so special. So often I am proved entirely wrong.
If you would like to help stop this destructive development then get involved and let your voice be heard.
I contacted Jo from Porthkerris Divers who operate in the area to ask her about the project. This is her reply:
The story so far….
Director (and majority share holder) of Shire Oak Energy and Shire Oak Quarries, Mark Shorrock, is also director (and shareholder) of several companies linked to the Quarry (Tidal Lagoon Power, Dean Quarry Mineral Rights, Tidal Lagoon Swansea etc). They propose to excavate 1.5 million tonnes in the first year alone, although figures are forever changing. Previous quarrying at its maximum was no more than 200,000 tonnes a year. The quarry has been dormant since 2008. The stone is to be used to build the proposed tidal lagoon in Swansea and possibly others, should permission be granted to build them, ironically in the name of “green energy” (“energy which is produced in a way that PROTECTS our natural environment”)!!
The company, Shire Oak Quarries has already submitted a land based planning application (security fencing, explosives store, buildings etc.). Although it was turned down by the Local Parish Council, it was approved by Cornwall Council.
The next step is that the company Shire Oak Energy are soon going to submit an application to build a 535m long 50m wide breakwater and jetties within the Manacles Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) which borders the old quarry, so that they can load 10,000 tonne barges 24/7.
Many people and organisations have huge concerns about this project and particularly the breakwater and jetties within the actual MCZ. The quarry is only a few hundred meters from houses and the local primary school in the village of St Keverne. We have been told by Mark Shorrock – in a public meeting on 30th January in front of a village hall packed with worried locals – that if he didn’t get the permission for his breakwater and jetties that he would drive all the stone out through the village in lorries, past the primary school, houses, popular tourist attractions etc. For the amount of stone that they are wanting to extract a year, that would mean several hundred lorries a week.
The Manacles MCZ, where they want to build the breakwater, is renowned for its fast flowing tidal currents and clear waters, supporting an amazing range of marine life – jewel anemones, sea fans, mearl beds, plumose anemones, spiny lobster, etc. It is a perfect, protected breeding ground for many types of fish. The manacles MCZ is also an important area for marine mammals and the internationally protected basking shark, which are highly sensitive to noise. How will blasting, loading of the 10,000 tonne barges 24 hours a day etc. affect them? What effect will the breakwater have on currents and sediment transport processes? What effects will the day-to-day operations have on redistribution of sediments? The proposal is to bring in several 10,000 ton barges per week, which will have to be moved by tug boats. We would question how the propeller action of the tugs will interact with tidal and wave action to redistribute the sediment around the manacles MCZ.
The Manacles is also an extremely treacherous shipping area (hence the large number of shipwrecks in the area). Navigating the inner manacles with 2 tugs guiding a 10,000 tonne barge laden with rock armour several times a week, is surely an accident waiting to happen.
And talking of Ship wecks, the position of the actual breakwater is right on the site of a famous shipwreck called “The John”, which went down in 1855 with a loss of 194 lives (There is a whole website dedicated to it which you can find here). Not far from the breakwater also lies the famous shipwrecks ‘The Mohegan’, The ‘Andola’ and ‘The Spiridian Vagliano’ and the war ship ‘The Primrose’.
It is essential that the few areas of relatively pristine marine habitat we have left remain properly protected. Many conservation organisations and leading academics are already very concerned about the government’s failure to deliver the full network of MCZs that were recommended by the scientific community. The Manacles MCZ is one of only 27, out of 120 proposed. Luckily there are now calls for more to be designated… but it is important that we are able to also protect the ones already in place; otherwise, what is the point?
The proposed development of a breakwater and general up-scaling of operations at Dean quarry is therefore not only the first real test of what it means to be a MCZ, but will also be under intense scrutiny from conservation groups and the marine science community. The manacles MCZ looks set to serve as an important test case. This is the first major challenge to a MCZ and could set a precedent for the others.
So many people are very concerned about the proposed development and how it could negatively affect lives and livelihoods, health, safety, the environment, the AONB, SW coast path etc etc, but unfortunately a lot of people are not aware of the impacts on life under the sea. Now would be a great time to raise awareness of this particular issue, so that when this next application is made, people will have a better understanding of what is at stake.
The first stages of the plans have been covered by the following publications:
Daily Telegraph:
Daily Mail:
Others:
https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=dean+quarry&tbm=nws
For more information, visit www.cads2015.com, or find the ‘Community Against Dean Superquarry’ on Facebook. For Marine Management Organisation plan documents, downloadfrom: https://marinelicensing.marinemanagement.org.uk/mmo/fox
The Ocean Cleanup, the global non-profit project, has removed a verified all-time total of ten million kilograms (22 million lbs.) of trash from oceans and rivers around the world – approximately the same weight as the Eiffel Tower.
To complete its mission of ridding the oceans of plastic, The Ocean Cleanup uses a dual strategy: cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) to remove the plastic already afloat in the oceans, while stopping the flow of plastic from the world’s most polluting rivers.
Through cleaning operations in the GPGP and in rivers in eight countries, the cumulative total of trash removed has now surpassed ten million kilograms. This milestone demonstrates the acceleration of The Ocean Cleanup’s impact, while underlining the astonishing scale of the plastic pollution problem and the need for continued support and action.
While encouraging for the mission, this milestone is only a staging point: millions more tons of plastic still pollute our oceans and The Ocean Cleanup intends to continue learning, improving and innovating to solve this global catastrophe.
This announcement comes as governments from around the world meet to continue negotiations to develop a new legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution at INC4 in Ottawa, Canada. Representatives of The Ocean Cleanup will be in attendance and the organization will be urging decision-makers to collaborate towards a comprehensive and ambitious global treaty which addresses plastic at all stages of its life cycle and in all marine environments worldwide, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
It is encouraging to see that the need for remediation is reflected in the various options for potential treaty provisions. It is essential that the final treaty contains clear targets for the remediation of legacy plastic pollution, and reduction of riverine plastic emissions.
Tackling plastic pollution requires innovative and impactful solutions. The treaty should therefore incentivize the innovation ecosystem by fostering innovations that make maximal use of data, technology and scientific knowledge – such as those designed and deployed by The Ocean Cleanup.
‘After many tough years of trial and error, it’s amazing to see our work is starting to pay off – and I am proud of the team who has brought us to this point.’ said Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup. ‘While we still have a long way to go, our recent successes fill us with renewed confidence that the oceans can be cleaned.’
The Ocean Cleanup was founded in 2013 and captured its first plastic in 2019, with the first confirmed catch in the GPGP coming soon after the deployment of Interceptor 001 in Jakarta, Indonesia. After surpassing one million kilograms of trash removed in early 2022, the non-profit project has since progressed to the third iteration of its GPGP cleaning solution, known as System 03, and a network of Interceptors currently covering rivers in eight countries, with more deployments set for 2024.
About The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup is an international non-profit organization that develops and scales technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. They aim to achieve this goal through a dual strategy: stemming the inflow via rivers and cleaning up the legacy plastic that has already accumulated in the ocean. For the latter, The Ocean Cleanup develops large-scale systems to efficiently concentrate the plastic for periodic removal. This plastic is tracked and traced through DNV’s chain of custody model to certify claims of origin when recycling it into new products. To curb the tide via rivers, The Ocean Cleanup has developed Interceptor™ solutions to halt and extract riverine plastic before it reaches the ocean. Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup now employs a broadly multi-disciplined team of approximately 140. The foundation is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
For more information, visit: theoceancleanup.com and follow @theoceancleanup on social media.
Marine Life & Conservation
Steve Backshall to headline Shark Trust’s flagship event: For the Love of Sharks
Join a host of amazing, shark loving, speakers including Steve Backshall and the Shark Trust team for an evening celebrating shark conservation at the Royal Geographical Society in London this November.
Date: 29th November 2024
Time: 6-10pm
Location: Royal Geographical Society, London
Tickets: https://www.sharktrust.org/Event/flos24
The event will be a celebration of all things shark. Those lucky enough to get hold of tickets will hear from engaging guest speakers with a passion for sharks.
The line-up includes (*subject to change if unforeseen circumstances arise)
Steve Backshall: One of television’s busiest presenters, BAFTA award-winning wildlife expert Steve has been passionate about the wild world ever since he was young.
Steve’s impressive TV career has taken him all around the world, investigating a wide array of species and environments. Steve has filmed over 100 hours of children’s wildlife programmes with the BAFTA award winning Deadly 60 franchise and recently, with Sky Nature, for his new series ‘Whale with Steve Backshall’. He has been a patron for the Shark Trust for 10 years.
Simon Rogerson: is a photojournalist specialising in natural history, diving and the sea.
He is editor of SCUBA magazine, the official journal of the British Sub-Aqua Club. Simon started his career as a crime reporter but gravitated towards his ‘less depressing’ interest in underwater exploration, joining the staff of DIVE magazine in 1999. In 2005 he was named ‘Editor of the Year’ in the PPA’s Independent Publishing Awards. Simon also works as a freelance writer, contributing frequently to the Sunday Times and Telegraph, in addition to BBC Wildlife, Esquire, and a host of international diving magazines. He is the author of a book, Dive Red Sea, published by Ultimate Sports. Now based in Berkshire, Simon has been a Patron of the Shark Trust for 20 years.
More speakers to be announced soon. Head to the Shark Trust website to learn more.
The evening will also allow guests the final chance to see the Oceanic 31, shark art exhibition. Some of the artwork will be auctioned/raffled at the event, while the rest will be auctioned online to raise money for the Shark Trust Oceanic Programme.
For the Love of Sharks is an evening with something for everyone who is interested and fascinated by sharks. Join the Shark Trust, their Patrons, Trustees and Staff, along with a host of supporters for this celebration of shark conservation.
For more information or to buy a ticket: https://www.sharktrust.org/Event/flos24
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