Undergraduate winner: Iwan Basten, Southampton Institute

An Investigation into the impacts of a foreshore recharge on the Solent's oyster populations

This study presents an investigation into the extent a foreshore recharge proposal put forward by Associated British Ports (ABP) for Southampton Water may affect the local native oyster (Ostrea edulis) populations in the Solent. The use of Environmental Risk Assessment is becoming more common, however, the use of such an assessment for an individual species is a new application. The approach sets out to identify the significance of identified risks to oysters from the recharge proposal. A literature review identified three areas of importance within the Solent oyster fishery, and the background to the foreshore recharge proposal put forward by ABP to mitigate impacts the proposed container terminal at Dibden, is reviewed. The parameters that control the health and mortality of oysters are identified. This has enabled a sensitivity allocation to be made to the various impacts that the foreshore recharge was assessed to have. Of the assessed criteria suspended sediments; oxygen depletion and toxic contamination proved to be the most difficult to resolve, partly due to ABPs incomplete and sometimes flawed assessment. The risk assessment identified that sedimentation; oxygen depletion; and toxic contamination are all significant issues. The private oyster fisheries of Stanswood and Calshot Bay are the most vulnerable to recharge impacts due to their importance to the Solent, and relative close proximity to the foreshore recharge site. The research concluded that the proposed foreshore recharge should not go ahead, as its impacts would be intolerably high to the Solent oyster populations, and ABP have not justified its need or considered fully its impacts. Alternatives are available, the option of trickle feeding sediment should be looked as a viable alternative to the proposal. Thresholds levels within the Shellfish Water guidelines should be applied to which ever final option for which ABP obtain consent for.

Postgraduate: Sarah Wiggins, Centre for Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton

Sustainable Management of the Medina Estuary

The term sustainability is increasingly applied to assess environmental management. An extensive synopsis of the current concepts and practices of estuarine management and sustainable development is provided. This research uses a technique to examine the sustainability of estuarine management. Guiding sustainable principles for estuarine management have been formulated and incorporation of these principles into Estuary Management Plans has been assessed. An intensive case study based on the Medina Estuary, Isle of Wight was used to provide a detailed insight into the success of applying these sustainable principles. To provide an overview of inclusion of the sustainable principles, seven Estuary Management Plans were obtained and analysed. Further information to accurately assess the application of the principles into estuary management was required and telephone interviews were conducted. The literature research and examination of the management plans enabled analysis of the sustainability of estuarine management within the UK. The constraints to sustainable estuarine management were identified and recommendations to improve the current situation have been made. The majority of the Estuary Management Plans apply all the guiding principles although a number of essential guidelines are only partially incorporated into management. The concept of the carrying capacity and minimum intervention is not consistently applied. Public participation in estuarine management is inadequate and important representatives are prevented from management decision-making. The research found that management is significantly lacking resources and commitment. The complexity of the legislation, policies and plans at all tiers of governments and the multitude of responsible bodies is hampering sustainable management. Resources are forced to be inefficiently allocated to integration instead of conflict resolution, conservation and sustainable development. The lack of statutory authority was found to be the fundamental constraint to sustainable estuarine management.