Proposed Barrage across the Severn Estuary 'could be absolutely devastating'

Press notice sent on behalf of the Angling Trust, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), RSPB, Worldwide Fund for Nature, Wildlife Trusts, Wye & Usk Foundation, Marine Conservation Society, Severn Rivers Trust, Salmon & Trout Association and Campaign to Protect Rural England. For further information please contact, Martin Salter.

A Proposal to build a Barrage across the Severn Estuary 'could be absolutely devastating', MPs have heard.

The Angling Trust, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) and RSPB told the House of Commons Energy & Climate Committee they all supported tidal energy development in the Severn, but that the current proposal lacks detail and claims that it would not unacceptably damage wildlife and large areas of habitat are "not realistic".

As well as doubting claims about the environmental impact of the barrage, all four organisations expressed support for future alternative smaller projects in the Severn Estuary to test and develop new tidal energy technology which Britain could export globally.

Angling Trust National Campaigns Coordinator Martin Salter told the Committee a full-width barrage across the estuary would mean fish dying due to sudden changes in water pressure and salinity, and through turbine strikes. He said:

"Claims that these turbines are fish friendly are absolute guff. This is 24/7 fish mincing. Turbines kill fish above a tip speed of 6-7 metres per second. The Hafren proposal is for a tip speed of 9 metres per second. How on earth can they make press statements that these are "fish-friendly". They are simply not.

"This drives a coach and horses through all environmental protections that governments have signed up to. The impact could be absolutely devastating on both the commercial fishery, on the recreational fishery and on highly protected habitat."

Read the full press release Here

And in video...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2013/jan/11/ngos-respond-severn-barrage-proposals-video?CMP=twt_fd

Severn Barrage Success for Salter

Three weeks ago, the Angling Trust's Campaigns Co-ordinator Martin Salter gave a typically forthright performance to the select committee looking into the proposals for a Severn Barrage which are being spearheaded by Peter Hain MP and a consortium called Hafren Power. It seems that MPs on the committee have heeded his warning to them that Hafren Power's proposals lack any meaningful details and that they have completely failed to provide any evidence regarding the environmental impact of the barrage, despite claims in the media by Hain that the turbines are 'fish friendly'.

Energy Minister Greg Barker has ruled out a bill before the next general election and one committee member, Labour MP John Robertson, said the amount of information provided by Hafren Power, was "embarrassing". He told the minister: "I'm surprised you haven't just thrown it out completely". It seems the tide is turning in favour of protection for the many marine and migratory fish that inhabit the Severn Estuary.

Click HERE for the full story.

Angling Trust press release Wednesday 18 September 2013

Government backs angling and wildlife concerns and scuppers Severn Barrage plans

Angling and environmental groups have given an enthusiastic welcome to the announcement today from the Government that leaves plans by the Hafren Power consortium to build a barrage across the Severn Estuary effectively ‘dead in the water’

In a response to a damning report by the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Select Committee the government has endorsed almost all the committee’s criticisms of the barrage plans ending any prospect of Hafren Power being able to sponsor a parliamentary bill aimed at securing approval for an 18kms concrete barrage across the Severn Estuary. The project would have caused huge damage to migratory fish runs in the Severn, Wye and Usk catchments and adversely affected marine species in the Bristol Channel.

The Severn Estuary is one of the largest estuaries in Europe and is of international importance for its wildlife and is a unique landscape.  Its saltmarshes and mudflats are used by 69,000 birds each winter, its waters support over 100 fish species and vast numbers of invertebrates, and the estuary is a vital migration route for fish including salmon and eels.  In 2010 a Government study into the feasibility of building a barrage across the Severn confirmed that the impacts of a conventional ‘high head’ barrage could be catastrophic, including the local extinction of some species of fish and an increase in flood risk over an area of 370 square kilometres containing 45,000 residential properties.  

The Angling Trust has been working closely with the other main environmental and fisheries groups in highlighting the very real threats posed by building a massive concrete barrage across the Severn estuary complete with over 1,000 ‘fish-mincing turbines’ operating 24 hours a day. The coalition included the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), RSPB, Worldwide Fund for Nature, Wildlife Trusts, Wye & Usk Foundation, Marine Conservation Society, Severn Rivers Trust, Salmon & Trout Association, National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England. In January Angling Trust’s Martin Salter gave evidence to the Energy and Climate Change Committee highlighting the threats to fish passage which was included in the final report.

Angling Trust Campaigns Chief Martin Salter said:
“This is a great result for angling and for everyone who cares about our rivers and estuaries. With 25% of the entire salmonid fish habitat for England and Wales dependent on the Severn Estuary there is little doubt that any barrage proposal would be in breach of the European Habitats Directive which requires protected environments and species to be provided with a compensatory habitat. Now it may just have been possible to re-create suitable habitat for wading birds somewhere else but never in a thousand years were Hafren Power going to be able to create another salmon or sea trout river. That’s why the Angling Trust has fought so hard to press this arguments home and why we are able to claim, at least in part, that ‘It was the fish what won it!’ Let this be a warning to those who think they can simply tear up the hard won protections that we have in place.”

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust & Fish Legal added:
"Angling, wildlife and environmental groups have been united in their call for the Severn Barrage concept to be abandoned, calling instead for a renewed focus on environmentally sound and commercially viable way to harness a variety of sources of power in the Bristol Channel. We now welcome the Government’s recognition that the proposals put forward by Hafren Power were utterly inadequate. The Select Committee Inquiry clearly exposed the numerous unsubstantiated claims regarding the supposed economic and environmental benefits for the barrage and the massive threats to migratory fish and birds inherent in a scheme of this size."

Charles Walker MP, Vice-Chair, APPG Angling, said:

"On behalf of the All Party angling Group in Parliament I want to thank the Angling Trust and the other environmental groups for bringing all the problems with the proposed Severn Barrage to our attention. The potential effects on the biodiversity, fish and birdlife and the local economy have been striking. It is no wonder that this form of power generation has been considered and dismissed by other countries - from Canada and France to South Korea. Hopefully now the barrage is dead in the water the UK government can forge ahead with its support for sustainable energy generation that is genuinely wildlife and fish friendly"

Notes:
1. Martin Salter’s oral evidence and the Angling Trust’s written submission are extensively quoted in the Energy & Climate Change Select Committee report which can be found HERE: http://emarketing.blue-leaf.co.uk/t/r-l-nljduly-kjhkhtdjk-j/
2. The full Government report can be found  HERE: http://emarketing.blue-leaf.co.uk/t/r-l-nljduly-kjhkhtdjk-t/
3. National coverage including video of the Select Committee evidence HERE: http://emarketing.blue-leaf.co.uk/t/r-l-nljduly-kjhkhtdjk-i/

Good news.  


Richard

This is the very reason why we should support Angling Trust.For the price of one or two weeks bait bill
we have a voice who will fight our corner with a sucessful outcome.

John LeSurf wrote:

This is the very reason why we should support Angling Trust.For the price of one or two weeks bait bill
we have a voice who will fight our corner with a sucessful outcome.

Hear, hear!  


Richard