The VALMER scenarios

Dr Olivia LangmeadMarine Biological Association

The VALMER scenarios At the previous meeting 6 scenarios were elaborated:

Scenario # Scenario name Brief description

1 Tidal development Five new tidal demonstration projects within demonstration area

2 MCZs All rMCZs designated

3 Coastal change Sediment regime changes and managed realignment

4 Increased nutrients Increased nutrients in the Taw-Torridge estuary

5 Aggregate extraction Extraction of aggregates from SW Lundy within NDBR

6 Blue growth Development of commercial and recreational maritime sectors

The VALMER scenarios• At the previous meeting 6 scenarios were

elaborated:

Scenario # Scenario name Brief description

1 Tidal development Five new tidal demonstration projects within demonstration area

2 MCZs All rMCZs designated

3 Coastal change Sediment regime changes and managed realignment

4 Increased nutrients Increased nutrients in the Taw-Torridge estuary

5 Aggregate extraction Extraction of aggregates from SW Lundy within NDBR

6 Blue growth Development of commercial and recreational maritime sectors

7 Local fisheries management

Removal of EU regulation / replacement by local fisheries management

8 Windfarm development Atlantic array size windfarm is developed at R3 lease site

2 scenarios added by the project team

1. TidalFive new demonstration tidal devices within North Devon tidal demonstration area (Lynmouth).

Changes to activities impacting the seabed• Installation of the tidal devices + cabling• Exclusion zone to towed demersal gears –

loss of effort (not displacement)

Also impacts on other (non-seabed) activities including:• Shipping – coastal leisure traffic, dredgers,

sheltering vessels• Fisheries – displacement of potting and

lining activity / some opportunity for co-location?

• Diving – exclusion zone for divers

1. Tidal

2. MCZsAll 5 rMCZs in the North Devon Biosphere Reserve area are designated.

Changes to activities impacting the seabed• Towed demersal gears banned from all

MCZs.• Displacement of some demersal activity to

surrounding waters• Increase in static gears within the MCZs?

Also impacts on other (non-seabed) activities including:• Leisure & recreation – increase in small

leisure craft with increased leisure opportunities

2. MCZs

3. Coastal changeChanges in the sediment regime in the mouth of the estuary and Bideford Bay.

Changes to activities impacting the seabed• New and increased dredging activity

around all ports due to sediment regime changes.

• Managed retreat creates new saltmarshes in and around Taw-Torridge estuary.

Also impacts on other (non-seabed) activities including:• Yelland port closes down. • Loss of large parts of the SW coast-path,

leading to a decrease in tourism. • Rubbish accumulation close to Braunton

Burrows. • Loss of infrastructure for industry.

© pacificmarinegroup

3. Coastal change

© pacificmarinegroup

• [no map – deliberately left blank]

4. Increased nutrientsIncreased nutrients in the Taw-Torridge estuary

Changes to activities impacting the seabed• Shellfish fisheries are lost within the

estuary due to a decline in water quality• Important nursery grounds for bass are lost

and this has an impact on overall stocks and landings.

Also impacts on other (non-seabed) activities including:• Less opportunities for recreation within the

estuary (e.g. kayaking, paddleboarding, leisure vessels) as the water quality decreases.

© DCC

4. Increased nutrients

© DCC

5. AggregatesAggregates are extracted from inside the NDBR boundary

Changes to activities impacting the seabed• Demersal mobile gear fisheries are

excluded from the extraction site and displaced to adjacent waters

Also impacts on other (non-seabed) activities including:• Increased traffic at Yelland with landing of

aggregates

© JNCC

© Cefas

5. Aggregates

6. Blue growth Development of maritime industries

Changes to activities impacting the seabed• Increased dredging of channel to access

Yelland• Development of new marina• Permanent moorings at Lundy• Deepwater quay for cruise liners at

Ilfracombe

Also impacts on other (non-seabed) activities including:• Increased leisure and recreation

opportunities with new marina, more leisure craft and cruise visitors

• Increased business opportunities for North Devon maritime businesses

© GBRMPA

6. Blue growth

7. Local Fisheries ManagementLocal sustainable fisheries management

Changes to activities impacting the seabed

• Seasonal ray box is enlarged• Decrease in effort in 6-12nm zone as

Belgian vessels are prohibited• Decrease in effort in 0-6nm zone as local

vessels disperse into 6-12nm zone• Decrease in effort in S and W Bideford Bay

as this becomes a key lay-off area

Also impacts on other (non-seabed) activities including:• Increased business opportunities for North

Devon maritime businesses and within the fisheries supply chain.

© Devonguide.com

7. Local Fisheries Management

8. WindfarmWindfarm array constructed within the R3 Zone

Changes to activities impacting the seabed

• A windfarm array of similar size (240 turbines, 1.2GW) to the cancelled Atlantic Array is built at the Crown Estate North Devon R3 wind farm site.

• Cables are run onshore using the cable corridor RWE proposed.

• Demersal fishing is excluded from the development zone and cable corridor.

• This effort is lost (rather than displaced).

Also impacts on other (non-seabed) activities including:• Expansion of Ilfracombe port to service the

development.

© ceh

8. Windfarm

© ceh

With special thanks to all our partners and funders