The Overfalls Project

The Overfalls feature

The Overfalls sea area is located approximately 12 nautical miles south of the entrance to Chichester Harbour (W. Sussex). The Overfalls consists of a notable series of sand and gravel bank features with interesting geology and biodiversity, which provide habitat for sand eels as well as blonde rays and bass ? species highly valued by sea anglers and commercial fishers. Other current site uses include diving and commercial navigation. The area also represents a potentially important source of marine aggregates, which has to date been the subject of both prospecting and licence application.

History of the area

In 1999 an application was made by Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd for a licence to dredge certain banks within the area as a source of marine sand and gravel. Significant objections were raised by local user groups including commercial fishermen, charter boat skippers and recreational sea anglers together with a number of environmental groups. The application was initially declined and is now ?on hold?.

New approaches to marine management

The marine environment has many uses and users and is becomingly increasingly congested as a result. To address some of these consequential issues, new policy directions have recently been proposed by the Government and its agencies, or lobbied for by charities and user groups, based largely on the principles of co-ordinated, marine spatial planning.

The Overfalls Project

The University of Portsmouth's Centre for the Economics & Management of Aquatic Resources (cemare) is carrying out an innovative new research project to investigate some of these issues in a practical setting. The Overfalls Project is investigating the practicalities of bringing together a wide range of stakeholders to seek consensus over how best to plan and manage the diverse range of activities and objectives in The Overfalls Area. As such, it represents one of the first attempts in the UK to promote and trial practical, site-based marine spatial planning aimed at managing potential conflicts arising from the exploitation and conservation of the marine environment.

Phase 1

Phase 1 of The Overfalls Project - Multiple Use, Planning and Management: The Overfalls Area - ran from April 05 through to March 06. It benchmarked the site's uses and stakeholder attitudes. An extensive consultation process was undertaken, along with a survey of users and on-site observation to build up a picture of the area's importance from a range of perspectives.

The willingness of interested stakeholders to establish some form of management framework (either informal or formal) for current and potential uses was explored within the context of long-term sustainable exploitation and conservation of bio-diversity and geological interests in the area.

Click here to download copies of non-technical summary and full Phase I report

Phase 2

Phase 2 of the project runs from April 06 to March 07. This Phase will expand on the understanding of the site developed during Phase 1. Its main purpose will be to seek to establish a formal stakeholder-led process allowing for discussion of the various site conflicts and issues through a consensus-based management approach.

Click here to download Phase II materials

Project Team

The core project team (cemare, Homarus Ltd. and Offshore Environmental Solutions Ltd.) are not seeking to impose any pre-formed management 'solution'. The project?s aim is to provide an opportunity for interested parties to develop their own solutions through informed, co-ordinated dialogue and inclusive management.

Key stakeholders with a direct interest in The Overfalls area are also providing contributions in-kind to the project. These stakeholders include Hanson Aggregates Marine Ltd., Sussex & District Sea Fisheries Committee, representatives of sea anglers, charter boat skippers and commercial fishers and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

Funding

Phase 1 was part-funded by a grant of £58,000 from Defra's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF), which is being administered by English Nature's marine ALSF Grants Team. For more information on the ALSF, please visit the English Nature website (http://www.english-nature.org) and use the menu to navigate to "Grant Schemes", of which the ALSF is one. Phase 2 is being part-funded by an marine ALSF Grant of £67,000. Other funding is provided by contributions in-kind from stakeholders.

These images are sourced from and copyright held by University of Portsmouth, Sussex Sea Fisheries District Committee, University of Portsmouth and Hanson Aggregates Marine Limited respectively.

These images are sourced from and copyright held by University of Portsmouth, Sussex Sea Fisheries District Committee, University of Portsmouth and Hanson Aggregates Marine Limited respectively.