Dredging. It sucks! Image: Surfers Against Sewage
Activists of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are voicing concerns and urging the Cornwall Council to refuse dredging proposals in St. Ives Bay, England. Marine Mineral Limited’s dredging proposal has the potential to devastate an extremely valuable stretch of coastline. The dredging will involve removing, processing and partially replacing millions of tons of sediment from St. Ives Bay for the next ten years.
Cornwall is a hybrid of historical attractions and coastline beauty. The north part of the peninsula stretches for over 70 miles. It is environmentally important, well used by communities and tourists, and supports numerous established industries and thousands of jobs.
SAS is concerned about the lack of competency displayed so far. And for good reason. Marine Minerals Limited has already unlawfully removed sediments without the required licenses. In the small print of the Marine Mineral Limited’s proposal is the unsettling requirement of exclusion zones. These zones will prohibit bathers, surfers and other recreational water users from entering the sea.
The costs seem to far outweigh any potential benefits unless you are a director at Marine Minerals Limited.
If you share SAS’s concerns, please join SAS in lobbying Cornwall Council who is responsible for granting or refusing Marine Minerals Limited’s commercial dredging license for St Ives Bay. Just sign and send back the freepost campaign postcard with Pipeline (SAS members magazine), or sign SAS’s anti-dredge petition at www.sas.org.uk.
