§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what were the results of the Sonus studies. [12857]
§ Angela EagleThe Sonus research programme is leading to a better understanding of the flux of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, from the land, though estuaries, to the sea, especially in relation to the nitrification/ denitrification processes in estuaries. The main work in the Southampton Water/Solent region indicates that algal blooms of phytoplankton occur only when tidal energy is below a certain level and light levels are sufficiently high. We hope to extend this work to allow data from the whole of 1997 to be incorporated. A final report will be produced at the end of the contract.