Authority responds to Environment Agency “Lincshore” consultation

Eastern IFCA has responded to the Environment Agency’s pre-application for a marine licence (MLP/2014/00263) for its Mablethorpe to Skegness sea defence, or “Lincshore”, project. In its role as a consultee, the authority assessed the pre-application against the policies of the East Inshore Marine Plan, specifically those related to its areas of expertise in fishing activity and marine protected area management.

The Lincshore Project (c) DEME Group

In our response, we alerted the Environment Agency to concerns from the local fishing (and wider) community about the potential for the project works (which involve “renourishing” various beaches along the Lincolnshire coast with volumes of sand) to release excess sediment into The Wash. Concerns are centered on the potential for changes in the topography of various subtidal sandbanks in The Wash (themselves a feature of conservation interest in the site’s Special Area of Conservation designation), an effect that could impact commercially important cockle (Cerastoderma edule) and brown shrimp (Crangon crangon) stocks.

The authority has recommended dedicated modelling of the sediment released in the works and will seek to liaise directly with the Environment Agency in analysing the relationship between historical beach renourishment and local fishery landings. The authority’s full response is available on request.

design sprint agency