16th Annual ‘Area Involved’ Marine Aggregates Report Published – new report available from BMAPA and The Crown Estate

16^th Annual ‘Area Involved’ Marine Aggregates Report Published

– new report available from BMAPA and The Crown Estate

This report may be downloaded from The Crown Estate website at: http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/news-and-media/news/2014/16th-annual-area-involved-report-for-marine-aggregates-published/

Summary

The British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA) and The Crown Estate have published their 16^th annual ‘Area Involved’ report, which details changes in the extent of the seabed area licensed and dredged for marine aggregates during 2013.

The ‘Area Involved’ initiative commenced in March 1999, when BMAPA and The Crown Estate made a public statement of intent which committed both parties to reviewing all dredging licences on a rolling five-year basis, surrendering areas no longer containing economic resources of marine sand and gravel, and publishing an annual report detailing the extent of dredging activities within licensed areas.

Key information from the report includes:

• A total of 16.03 million tonnes of sand and gravel were dredged from Crown Estate licences in England and Wales during 2013 (16.79 million tonnes in 2012)
• The total area of seabed licensed in 2013 increased to 739km² (711km² in 2012)
• Dredging took place within 98.67km², 13.35 per cent of the licensed area, compared with 96.72km² (13.6 per cent) in 2012
• The area of seabed dredged for more than 1 hr 15 minutes per year (high intensity – red on charts) decreased to 6.75km² (8.41km² in 2012)
• 90 per cent of dredging from Crown Estate licences took place from an area of 39.2km² (36.42km² in 2012).

Marine aggregates provide over 20% of the sand and gravel demand in England and Wales, with the majority of supply used in high value ready-mixed concrete and concrete products. Certain regions are particularly reliant upon marine supplies. One third of all primary aggregate demand in London and the South East of England is met from marine resources whilst in South Wales over 90% of the market demand for sand also comes from the sea.

The new report citation is:

‘The area involved – 16^th annual report’, The Crown Estate, 18 pages, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-906410-58-2

The report may be downloaded from The Crown Estate website at:  http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/news-and-media/news/2014/16th-annual-area-involved-report-for-marine-aggregates-published/

For further information contact: Mark Wrigley, Marine Minerals Operations Manager, The Crown Estate, 16 New Burlington Place, London, W1S 2HX, marineminerals@thecrownestate.co.uk Tel. 020 7851 5062.