We are thrilled to continue our involvement with the Solent Seascape Project. This multi-million pound, five-year partnership, funded by the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme, aims to restore a wealth of diverse marine species and habitats back to the Solent. And this spring we are creating another oyster reef – this time in Chichester harbour.
Native oysters were once prolific in Chichester Harbour, supporting a thriving fishing industry and marine ecosystem but have since declined by over 95%. Coordinating with ocean conservation charity Blue Marine Foundation, our team are laying a thin veneer of shingle mixed with cockleshells, known as ‘cultch,’ covering 1ha directly onto the seabed creating the ideal environment for Oyster populations to thrive in.
Our 300m³ capacity, self-propelled and highly manoeuvrable hopper barge Needles, fitted with protective hardwood matting, is on hand for transportation of the shingle mix from Portsmouth International Port to Chichester Harbour, while our self-propelled Dredger Doreen Dorward, with its large open deck and 3 x 15m spud legs is providing a stable platform for our 50t long reach excavator to precisely deploy the “cultch” at an even thickness of 200mm.
Our RTK GPS Prolec precision digital dredging system is invaluable during this delicate operation to ensure the Clutch material is accurately placed on the seabed, in accordance with the Marine Management Organisation Marine works licence conditions.
The following short video by Chichester Harbour Conservancy shows some of our work underway and a few of the team involved.
Further to our previous oyster reef work for the Blue Marine Foundation this site poses a more complex challenge due to the strong tides around this part of the south coast and further complicated by the ‘Chichester Bar’, a significant, shifting sandbar located at the entrance to Chichester Harbour meaning our vessel movements have to be extremely well coordinated.
You can find out more about the Oyster Reef Project from the following sources:
- Blue Marine Foundation: https://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/
- Harbour Oysters Initiative: https://www.harbouroysters.com/
- Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme: https://www.endangeredlandscapes.org/project/solent-seascape/
- Solent Seascape Project www.solentseascape.com
If you have a requirement for specialist marine operations in shallow or near shore projects, please feel free to get in touch to see where we can help.