#9/9 Regional compliance monitoring
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The document discusses a regional compliance monitoring approach for the marine aggregates industry aimed at improving efficiency and consistency in environmental monitoring. It outlines the need for a structured monitoring program to assess the impact of dredging on seabed conditions, focusing on maintaining acceptable changes in sediment composition for ecological recovery. The approach has yielded over 100 consents and is gaining recognition for its potential benefits to operators, regulators, and environmental advisors.
#9/9 Regional compliance monitoring
- 1. Regional Compliance Monitoring A marine aggregate industry perspective Mark Russell Director, British Marine Aggregate Producers Association
- 2. When you know there is a wave coming…
- 3. You can position yourselves to take advantage…
- 4. Or not…!
- 5. Why a regional approach? • Common drivers – three consenting phases for existing activities since 2008 • Distribution of industry interests meant common EIA issues to address • Common benefits to operators - saves time & effort - saves cost - delivers a consistent outcome • Similar benefits to regulators & advisors – best use of resources By the end of 2014, this approach supported delivery of >100 consents
- 6. Context to regional monitoring • Moving from a position where most historic licences didn’t have monitoring requirements to a position where every licence has a minimum requirement • Cost implications – increased cost per tonne dredged (commodity price doesn’t change, monitoring simply adds to the cost base) • Time/effort implications – to deliver the requirements in the right way and at the right time • Capacity implications – across operators, regulators, advisors and contractors Re-licensing programme provided an opportunity for change
- 7. Keith Cooper Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT Keith.cooper@cefas.co.uk The development of Regional Seabed Monitoring Plans (RSMP) for the marine aggregates industry 7
- 9. • Aggregate dredging can alter the composition of seabed sediments • Possible implications for biological recovery of the site after dredging • Licence conditions used to mitigate such effects. For example: – Limiting extraction rate / screening – Requirement to leave seabed in similar physical condition – Monitoring programme • Existing monitoring approach looks at impacts of ongoing dredging. Doesn’t inform about likely recovery – this is the important question for sustainability. • Need a better way of differentiating between acceptable and unacceptable environmental change BackgroundNEW MONITORING APPROACH Waye-Barker, G., Cooper, K.M., McIlwaine, P., Lozac, S. The effects of sand and gravel extraction on the sediment particle size and macrofaunal community of a commercial dredging site (15 years post-dredging) (in prep). 9
- 10. Solution? 3°0'0"E 3°0'0"E 2°0'0"E 2°0'0"E 1°0'0"E 1°0'0"E 0°0'0" 0°0'0" 1°0'0"W 1°0'0"W 2°0'0"W 2°0'0"W 3°0'0"W 3°0'0"W 4°0'0"W 4°0'0"W 5°0'0"W 5°0'0"W6°0'0"W 50°0'0"N 50°0'0"N • Broadscale seabed surveys (REC, MAREA) • Improved understanding of the distribution of animals and sediments and the relationship between the two • Use this knowledge to set limits of acceptable change in sediment composition to ensure the return of the original faunal assemblage after dredging Cooper, K.M., 2012. Setting limits for acceptable change in sediment particle size composition following marine aggregate dredging. Marine Pollution Bulletin 64, 1667 - 1677. Cooper, K.M., 2013. Setting limits for acceptable change in sediment particle size composition: testing a new approach to managing marine aggregate dredging? Marine Pollution Bulletin 73, 86 – 97. NEW MONITORING APPROACH 10
- 11. Step 1 Identify & characterise the broadscale distribution of faunal assemblages present in the wider region Step 2 Identify range of sediment particle size composition found in association with each faunal assemblage Step 3 Identify a suitable licence condition for acceptable change within the zone of effect Step 4 Assess change in sediments Step 5 Assess compliance with licence condition Step 6 Identify any management action EIA Monitoring MethodNEW MONITORING APPROACH 11
- 12. Dataset Timeline: • Extensive pre-dredge baseline surveys (REA 05) • Dredging commences 2006 • Annual monitoring Approach: • Baseline data (05)used to identify limits of acceptable change • Latest available monitoring data (2010) used to assess compliance with the hypothetical licence condition Data • Baseline (2005) - 458 samples (macro and sediment particle size) • Monitoring (2010) - 427 samples (macro and sediment particle size) NEW MONITORING APPROACH 12
- 13. Step 1: Fauna Characterising taxa Univariate summary indicesFaunal cluster groups NEW MONITORING APPROACH 13
- 14. Step 2: Sediments Sediment envelopes (acceptable change limits) NEW MONITORING APPROACH 14
- 15. Step 3: Licence condition Suggested condition At the end of the licence term, and with allowance made for natural variability, the composition of sediments* within the PIZ and SIZ must remain within the acceptable change limits for the faunal groups identified during the pre-dredge survey. Compliance will be established using the methodology outlined in this study. * Percentages of coarse gravel, medium gravel, fine gravel, coarse sand, medium sand, fine sand, silt/clay Aim To maintain the seabed in a condition which will allow for the return of the pre-dredge faunal distribution post dredging NEW MONITORING APPROACH 15
- 16. Steps 4 & 5: Assess change & compliance Questions: Is there evidence of gross change in sediment composition within the footprint of potential effect (PIZ, SIZ) and at REF sites? NEW MONITORING APPROACH 16 Are the sediment changes at individual sites within acceptable limits (i.e. not ecologically significant)?
- 17. Identify appropriate management action (e.g. do nothing, vary rate of extraction, screening, target different sediment fractions) Step 6: Management action?NEW MONITORING APPROACH 17 Clear benefits of approach: • Clear scientific rationale • Allows for change • Effective licence condition • Environment defines limits of acceptable change • Ability to differentiate between statistical and ecological significance • Reduced monitoring costs • Regional perspective
- 18. NEW MONITORING APPROACH Implementation 18 Opportunities: • Dataset can help the renewables industry • Harmonisation of monitoring approaches across offshore sectors • Collaboration - sharing of monitoring stations /data • Compliance monitoring can contribute to higher level assessments of marine ecosystem health (e.g. MSFD)
- 19. Thank you More Information on the RSMP Cooper, K.M., 2012. Setting limits for acceptable change in sediment particle size composition following marine aggregate dredging. Marine Pollution Bulletin 64, 1667 - 1677. Cooper, K.M., 2013. Setting limits for acceptable change in sediment particle size composition: testing a new approach to managing marine aggregate dredging? Marine Pollution Bulletin 73, 86 – 97. Cooper, K.M., 2013. Marine aggregate dredging: a new regional approach to environmental monitoring. PhD Thesis. University of East Anglia: UK.
- 20. The journey so far... • Five RSMP surveys are currently underway • Deliver regional sediment/benthic baseline data for over 60 licence/application areas • Growing recognition of the advantages of a joined up approach – tangible benefits • But it can be complicated, both from a regulatory/compliance viewpoint but also in terms of practical delivery • Growing confidence from the experience through ‘learning by doing’.
- 21. The next steps... • Develop standard specification and programme for all common survey/ reporting obligations throughout licence term (not just seabed sediments) • To realise its potential at a regional scale it will require some flexibility – both from operators, but also from regulators & advisors • Root & branch review or half-way house solution? Existing conditions/ timings make it more complicated – not starting from scratch as per RSMP • There are challenges, but equally there are enormous benefits to be realised for all – particularly in the long term
- 23. Summary A regional approach to monitoring has the potential to enable the delivery of more cost effective and consistent compliance data and therefore support better regulation • Better for operators • Better for regulators • Better for statutory advisors Everyone stands to benefit from improved delivery, so share the risks of developing new approaches