Last November, we celebrated the successful outcome of our legal challenge to stop dredged sediment being dumped at Beachy Head West Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ).
However, Brighton Marina still requires dredging and a long-term solution for an alternative disposal site has not yet been confirmed.
Now, Brighton Marina has applied for a new one-year licence to continue their dredging and disposal activities while a longer-term solution is sought. Crucially, there is no detail on what that solution might be, nor has any further evidence been provided to prove that this activity is not damaging the MCZ. Whilst we understand the marina’s need to dredge, we remain opposed to the disposal of dredged material in a protected area. This activity should be halted permanently.
This is where you come in!
The Marina’s licence application is currently open for public consultation. We need more voices to tell the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) that this activity is not acceptable, and an alternative solution should be sought now.
We’ve set out some key points in a template email for you to use but please do add your own words, as we know this makes a much bigger impact. Let the MMO know what you think and why it’s time to stop dumping on our reef.
Your words will then be added to our template email, which you can read and review at the next step. Click ‘View your email’ once you’ve filled in the boxes to move on to the next step and finalise your email.
Public pressure is powerful. Your voice can make a real difference, and we urgently need your support.
About Beachy Head West
Beachy Head West is a Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ), which is similar to a nature reserve at sea. It’s a nationally important wildlife hotspot home to Short-snouted Seahorses, Blue Mussel beds and a unique intertidal chalk reef.
Dumping dredged sediment here will smother and pollute the reef and its special wildlife. There are knock-on impacts for people too: the area is a popular surf spot, and the impacts of sediment disposal are known to affect water quality.
For further information on this issue, and a summary of the action we’ve taken to date, please see this page on our website.
About our legal challenge
We brought four key challenges against the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), questioning the legality of their decision to permit the disposal of dredged material within a Marine Protected Area. The MMO conceded on one of our grounds, which was enough to quash the decision.
This outcome sets a precedent that all potentially damaging activities in marine protected areas must be fully assessed for their impact on wildlife, based on robust environmental data and proper legal process.