Safeguarding options for marine mineral resources

Wrighton, C.E.; Bide, T.P.; Mankelow, J.M.. 2011 Safeguarding options for marine mineral resources. Nottingham, UK, British Geological Survey, 23pp. (OR/11/056) (Unpublished)

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Abstract/Summary

The marine environment is rich in natural resources and marine life. It also supports a range of economic activities including marine fisheries, aggregates extraction and increasingly large scale renewable energy projects. The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 introduced a new system for marine planning and licensing in the UK with the aim of reducing user conflict and encouraging the maintenance of ecosystems. In accordance with this, the UK-wide Marine Policy Statement (March, 2011) set the framework for the preparation of Marine Plans which will provide detailed policy and spatial guidance for marine activities (POST, 2011). During the preparation of these Marine Plans, it is essential that marine aggregates are considered. In 2011, The Crown Estate commissioned the British Geological Survey (BGS) to begin a two year research project to undertake a Mineral Resource Assessment of the UK Continental Shelf with the results being depicted as a series of maps. The first area to be assessed encompasses the East Coast Inshore and East Coast Offshore Marine Plan Areas and the results have been published as a 1:500 000 scale map (Bide et al., 2011a) with an accompanying descriptive report (Bide et al., 2011b). The marine mineral resource maps will provide a comprehensive, relevant and accessible information base. This information is essential in allowing all stakeholders (planners, industry and members of the public) to visualise the distribution of offshore minerals to a common standard and at a common scale. With increased pressure for marine space, there is a need to ensure that these natural resources are not needlessly sterilised by other forms of development, leaving insufficient supplies for future generations. Mineral safeguarding is the term that is used for the process that ensures this outcome. This report provides an outline of two possible options for minerals safeguarding in the marine environment.

Item Type:	Publication - Report
Programmes:	BGS Programmes 2010 > Minerals and waste
Funders/Sponsors:	British Geological Survey
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	This item has been internally reviewed, but not externally peer-reviewed.
Date made live:	20 Jun 2024 16:27 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/537610

Item Type:

Publication - Report

Programmes:

BGS Programmes 2010 > Minerals and waste

Funders/Sponsors:

British Geological Survey

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

This item has been internally reviewed, but not externally peer-reviewed.

Date made live:

20 Jun 2024 16:27 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/537610