Archived decisions

Contact: Emma Beagley, tel 01489 576387 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report summarises the activities and events regarding the environment of the river from June 2004.

2. Corporate Strategy

2.1 This report supports Aims 1 to 5 of the Corporate Strategy (Maximising Life Opportunities, Stewardship of the Environment, Achieving Economic Prosperity, Building Strong and Safe Communities, and Improving Services) by contributing to the statutory duties entailed in the management of the River Hamble.

3. River Hamble Estuary Management Plan

3.1 The River Hamble Estuary Management Plan Implementation Forum (RH EMP IF) is enjoying continued support from all involved. The meetings are proving to be a good forum for debate and exchange of information, as well as initiating management action.

4. Hamble Estuary Management Plan Student Research Fund

4.1 The student research fund is currently supporting two students from the first round of applications who are undertaking projects on the River Hamble. One project is looking at the presence of pollution in sediments from sites in the lower and upper Hamble. The second project is set to analyse the run-off from the M27 bridge; the sediments and water local to the site; and to assess the potential effect of the M27 run-off on the area.

4.2 There are a further two applications which were considered by the RH EMP IF at a meeting on 9 November 2004. One has been declined, the other is currently seeing if their project proposal can be altered to address the group's concerns.

5. River Hamble Education Group

5.1 Policies under C3 Recreation, C6 Fishing and Bait Collection, C10 Archaeology and C12 Pollution and Water Quality, of the River Hamble Estuary Management Plan (RH EMP) all list education and interpretation as an action point.

5.2 To enable this action to be undertaken, the RH EMP IF has set up an Education Sub-Group to tackle this issue and this group has met three times to date. The group is made up of representatives from the Royal Yachting Association, Eastleigh and Fareham Borough Councils Tourism and Countryside Services, the County Council's Countryside Service, the River Hamble Harbour Authority, Southampton Institute, Hants and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology, the Solent Forum, Hampshire Wildlife Trusts and the Environment Agency.

5.3 Although the organisations represented have their own publications, the group is currently exploring the feasibility of a `portal' website for the Hamble area that would provide a central website for information, links and contact details. This will particularly address Policy 2 under C3, Recreation in the RH EMP.

6. Solent European Marine Site (SEMS) Management Scheme

6.1 The SEMS Management Scheme was submitted to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in July 2004, at which time the SEMS officer role ceased. The SEMS Management Group decided a secretarial post should be created and this is currently being undertaken by Gemma Conway.

6.2 The SEMS Management Scheme states that :

"As part of the monitoring process, where they have relevant information to report, each relevant authority will be expected to report back to the Management Group on their implementation of the Scheme".

6.3 It was decided this should be undertaken on an annual basis and the Assistant Harbour Master (Environment) is currently completing the Monitoring/Review Strategy proforma for the river.

6.4 Once submitted, a summary of the annual reports for the Solent will be reported back to the SEMS Management Group. It is at this time, should there be cause for concern, that the Management Group will decide if action, eg the formation of topic groups, is required.

7. Port Waste Management Plan

7.1 EC Regulation No 1774/2002 sets out the conditions which control the disposal of catering waste from ships and aircraft operating internationally (non-European Union). The regulation defines this catering waste as Category 1 animal by-product, which requires specific methods of storage, transportation and disposal.

7.2 The waste must be kept separate from normal domestic waste, collected, identified and transported to a landfill approved under Directive 1999/31/EC for burial. The bin and vehicle then have to be steam cleaned or disinfected.

7.3 DEFRA has advised that there is a need to provide facilities for this waste, and consequently a requirement to pay for its proper disposal. Current investigations with local waste contractors are quoting in the region of £350 for this service, each time the bin is emptied. Even if the bin only contains a single deposit of a carrier bag load of food waste, the full cost as quoted above is still incurred.

7.4 As the Harbour Authority accepts transport from non-European countries, legislation dictates that these facilities must be made available even if they are not utilised regularly. Should a normal waste bin be contaminated with Category 1 waste then that bin's contents are classed for Category 1 disposal.

8. Water Quality

8.1 The water quality of the River Hamble can vary throughout the river and is affected by many variables. Current data on the water quality of the river is available through the Environment Agency and Eastleigh Borough Council.

8.2 Information on chemical and biological water quality at Hook Nature Reserve can be found on the Environment Agency website by accessing the Water Quality section from the front page, http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk. Bathing water quality results for various sites on the river can be found on the Eastleigh Borough Council website: http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/services/env
serv/WATERQU2004.pdf.

8.3 The River Hamble EMP recognises the need for better monitoring of water quality and aims to work with the Environment Agency and others on this matter.

9. M27 Bridge Run-off

9.1 The RH EMP Implementation Forum is still waiting to hear from the Highways Agency regarding its review of English and Welsh motorways and the pollution control methods in place.

9.2 A student project currently being supported by the Hamble Estuary Management Plan Student Research Fund is looking into the pollution effects of the run-off from the M27.

10. Water Framework Directive

10.1 Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC is a new piece of legislation establishing an integrated approach to the protection, improvement and sustainable use of Europe's rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and groundwater. It aims to rationalise and bring up-to-date existing water legislation and introduce an integrated and coordinated approach to water management in Europe, based on the concept of river basin planning. Through River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) the directive should enhance wetlands, making sure water is used in a sustainable way, reduce water pollution and lessen flood and drought effects.

10.2 Currently the Environment Agency, the sole competent authority charged with implementation of the Directive in England and Wales, has identified the River Basin Districts (RBD) and is soon to finalise the characterisation of each of the RBDs. The River Hamble falls within the South East District, and a map of RBDs can be found at: http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk
/commondata/105385/rbd_map_853642.pdf.

10.3 Characterisation of RBDs is a sub-process of the River Basin Management Plan and aims to describe and provide a better understanding of the current and predicted future state of aquatic environments.

10.4 The Environment Agency intends to consult on River Basin Planning and public participation early in 2005. River Basin Management Plans for each RBD need to be published by 2009.

11. Dredging Plan

11.1 The works order for Phase 2 of the River Hamble Dredging Plan was submitted in July 2004 to ABPmer by the Harbour Authority, on behalf of all partners in the project. Phase 2 is due to be completed by the end of December 2004.

11.2 At the national level, the three pilot sites (Cowes, Humber and Truro) have compiled their baseline documents for use in maintenance dredging applications. These documents are to be used in a test application on two of the three pilot sites, the results of which should be reported early in 2005.

11.3 Once the River Hamble Dredging Plan Phase 2 has been completed, the Steering Group will meet to ascertain the best way forward. It is envisaged that a meeting will be organised for all partners in the project to ensure all involved are up-to-date and to discuss an acceptable way forward.

12. River Hamble Streamlined Consents Group

12.1 CoastNET, the UK's national network supporting those who protect and manage its diverse coastline, has compiled a Good Practice Directory by asking its members to complete proformas detailing examples of good practice.

12.2 A proforma was submitted for the Streamlined Consents initiative and subsequently has been selected as one of the top 10 Good Practice examples from the 80 plus examples submitted for 2004. The top 10 proformas can be viewed via the CoastNET website: http://www.coastnet.org.uk/.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

9086M/EB