Concern Over Maerl Dredging
Conservationists in the UK are claiming that dredging maerl, a material used by farmers as an organic fertilizer, from a Cornish estuary, should be stopped to protect the area. They claim that dredging maerl, a form of calcified seaweed used as a fertiliser, which has been taking place in the Fal estuary for the last 30 years, could be damaging marine life. The Cornish Calcified Seaweed Company has a licence to extract about 30,000 tons of maerl annually, using a dredger.
Since 1999, they have been working under a joint statement of intent entitled ‘the area involved’. They have produced a series of annual reports detailing the area of seabed licensed, the fourth of which was issued in 2002.
In December English Nature failed to stop the annual licence, granted by the Falmouth Harbour Commissioners, which owns the site, but it is now working with the UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on a study to determine whether dredging the maerl is having an adverse effect.
It is thought that if the study proves that dredging maerl is damaging, then DEFRA may order the Cornish Calcified Seaweed Company to scale down or stop the dredging.
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