The Proposed Dredging of the Navigation Channel at Sligo Harbour Vol. 1: Environmental Appraisal Report rpsgroup.com Sligo Harbour Dredging Environmental Appraisal Report Contents CONTENTS VOLUME 1 – ENVIRONMENTAL APPRAISAL REPORT 1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 PROJECT SUMMARY ................................................................................ 1-1 1.2 EXISTING PORT FACILITIES ..................................................................... 1-2 1.3 STRATEGIC POLICY DRIVERS ................................................................. 1-4 1.3.1 National Policy ..................................................................................1-4 1.3.2 Regional/Local Policy........................................................................1-9 1.3.3 Other Relevant Policies ..................................................................1-15 1.4 PROJECT JUSTIFICATION ...................................................................... 1-17 1.4.1 Background ....................................................................................1-17 1.4.2 Sligo Port ........................................................................................1-19 1.4.3 Customers ......................................................................................1-22 1.4.4 Economic Impact ............................................................................1-24 1.4.5 The Economic Impact arising from Construction .............................1-27 1.4.6 The Positive Impact of Development ...............................................1-28 1.4.7 Conclusion ......................................................................................1-29 1.5 CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES ................................................... 1-31 1.5.1 Alternative Locations.......................................................................1-31 1.5.2 Alternative Designs .........................................................................1-32 1.5.3 Alternative Processes .....................................................................1-34 1.6 THE CONSENTING PROCESS ................................................................ 1-44 1.6.1 Required Permissions .....................................................................1-44 2.0 CONSULTATIONS .................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 STATUTORY CONSULTATIONS ............................................................... 2-1 2.2 DUMPING AT SEA CONSULTATIONS ....................................................... 2-2 2.3 PUBLIC CONSULTATION .......................................................................... 2-5 2.4 ADDITIONAL OFFSHORE FISHERIES CONSULTATION .......................... 2-7 2.5 LOCAL AQUACULTURE ............................................................................. 2-8 2.6 RESPONSE TO ISSUES RAISED DURING CONSULTATION ................... 2-8 2.7 CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................... 2-8 3.0 SITE DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 3-1 IBE00440/EAR/September ‘12 1 Sligo Harbour Dredging Environmental Appraisal Report Contents 3.2 SITE CONTEXT AND EXISTING LAND USE .............................................. 3-3 3.2.1 Sligo Harbour Development ..............................................................3-3 3.3 NATURE CONSERVATION DESIGNATIONS ............................................ 3-4 3.3.1 Natura 2000 ......................................................................................3-4 3.3.2 Other Designations ...........................................................................3-9 4.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION....................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 EXISTING CONDITIONS ............................................................................ 4-1 4.2 WATER INJECTION MAINTENANCE DREDGING AT JETTIES TO -2.0M CD ..................................................................................................... 4-2 4.3 DESIGN OF PROPOSED CAPITAL & MAINTENANCE DREDGING WORKS TO -3.0MCD ................................................................................................ 4-2 4.3.1 Channel Depth ................................................................................. 4-2 4.3.2 Channel Width ................................................................................. 4-5 4.3.3 Channel Side Slopes ....................................................................... 4-5 4.3.4 Channel Alignment .......................................................................... 4-5 4.3.5 Dredging Quantities ......................................................................... 4-5 4.4 PROPOSED DISPOSAL METHOD ............................................................. 4-6 4.5 DREDGING METHODOLOGY .................................................................... 4-6 4.5.1 Equipment ....................................................................................... 4-6 4.5.2 Dredging Programme....................................................................... 4-7 4.5.3 Personnel ........................................................................................ 4-8 4.5.4 Navigation........................................................................................ 4-8 4.5.5 Waste .............................................................................................. 4-8 5.0 BIRDS .................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 BACKGROUND........................................................................................... 5-1 5.1.1 Description of Proposed Works .........................................................5-1 5.1.2 Previous Information .........................................................................5-1 5.2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ............................................................... 5-2 5.2.1 Legislation and guidance ..................................................................5-2 5.2.2 Consultations ....................................................................................5-2 5.2.3 Desktop review .................................................................................5-3 5.3 FIELD SURVEYS ........................................................................................ 5-3 5.4 ECOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND IMPACT SIGNIFICANCE ..................... 5-4 5.5 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT........................................................................ 5-5 IBE00440/EAR/September ‘12 2 Sligo Harbour Dredging Environmental Appraisal Report Contents 5.5.1 Designated Areas for Nature Conservation .......................................5-5 5.5.2 Cummeen Strand SPA (Site Code 004035). .....................................5-6 5.5.3 Cummeen Strand/Drumcliff Bay candidate SAC (site code 0627) .....5-7 5.6 DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING BIRD POPULATIONS AND USAGE OF THE AREA .......................................................................................................... 5-8 5.6.1 General description of the study area ...............................................5-8 5.6.2 Bird populations of the entire area of Sligo Harbour ..........................5-8 5.6.3 Bird usage of the area within 1km of the shipping channel ..............5-10 5.6.4 Bird usage of the shipping channel and immediate banks only .......5-11 5.7 PREDICTED IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED DREDGING ...................... 5-14 5.7.1 Potential impacts on birds ...............................................................5-14 5.7.2 Likely direct impacts on birds ..........................................................5-14 5.7.3 Impacts on the Tidal Regime of Sligo Harbour ................................5-16 5.8 LIKELY INDIRECT IMPACTS ON BIRDS.................................................. 5-17 5.9 MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................................ 5-22 5.9.1 Mitigation by Reduction/Remedy ....................................................5-22 5.10 RESIDUAL IMPACTS ............................................................................... 5-22 6.0 INTERTIDAL AND SUBTIDAL FLORA AND FAUNA, MARINE MAMMALS ......... 6-1 6.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 6-3 6.2 INTERTIDAL AND SUBTIDAL FLORA & FAUNA – DREDGING AREA ...... 6-4 6.2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 6-4 6.2.2 Desktop Study ................................................................................. 6-4 6.2.3 Field Survey – Aquafact 2010 ........................................................ 6-13 6.2.4 Sligo Harbour Intertidal and Subtidal Flora and Fauna - Predicted Impacts ......................................................................................... 6-40 6.3 SUBTIDAL FLORA AND FAUNA – OFFSHORE DUMP SITE ................... 6-51 6.3.1 Introduction .................................................................................... 6-51 6.3.2 Results .......................................................................................... 6-58 6.3.3 Proposed