§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the success of artificial lobster reefs off(a) Louisiana and (b) Hong Kong in relation to similar proposals by the Harwich Haven Authority; and if he will make a statement; [52481]
(2) what is his assessment of the effects of the dumping of dredging material on the catch rate of lobsters off the North Essex coast; [52483]
(3) what environmental safeguards he will demand to ensure the viability of the lobster fishery off the North Essex coast; [52482]
226W(4) what is his assessment of the environmental impact of the Harwich Haven Authority's proposals to dump dredging material on the Tails of Rough in the North Sea; and if he will make a statement. [52480]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 27 July 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 22 April 1998, Official Report, column 666.
Although no final decisions have yet been taken on the licence applications, Harwich Haven Authority (HHA) are proposing that the stiff clay and rock materials will be carefully placed to form a bund at the Roughs Tower disposal site and part of that site would then be capped with gravel and rock material to provide suitable reef habitat for lobsters. In considering the design of this reef, Ministry scientists are taking account of the experience gained in a number of artificial reef experiments both in the US and in Hong Kong.
Recognising concerns about the possibility of fine grained material drifting onto adjacent lobster fisheries, HHA, with assistance from Ministry scientists and in consultation with fishermen, have been investigating a new disposal site further offshore. It is the Authority's intention that all dispersible silty material from the Harwich dredging work would be deposited at this site except where other beneficial uses for it are proposed.
It would be a condition of any licence which might be issued that HHA should undertake a rigorous monitoring programme to ensure that there are no adverse impacts of a disposal operation on all aspects of the marine environment including the North Essex lobster fishery. That programme would also study the behaviour of the dredged material and the speed of recruitment of lobsters and crabs to the reef. In addition, HHA have offered to supply additional juvenile lobsters to increase stock on the reef in due course.