The MALSF synthesis study in the central and eastern English Channel

The need for effective stewardship of the marine environment through integrated management, balancing the requirements for development and exploitation with nature conservation and legislation, has been widely recognised. However, implementing such a strategy requires a significant knowledge of the nature of the sea bed. Acquiring such knowledge in the central and eastern English Channel (Figure 1) has been a focus of the Marine Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (MALSF) since 2005. The MALSF has funded a series of surveys to acquire high resolution data and its subsequent interpretation, along with other data, using a multi-disciplinary approach including geologists, biologists and archaeologists. This has produced a great deal of beneficial cooperation and interaction between these disciplines and enhanced the quality of the interpretations and results.