TIDELINES Newsletter of the Solway Firth Partnership • Issue 33 • Summer/Autumn 2010 INSIDE… • The Marine Acts • Kings & Queens • Join us for World Oceans Week! • Conference 2010 Report . and lots more 1 Contents Chairman’s Column Page 3 ith the Marine and Coastal Access Act passed in late n Departures and Arrivals W2009 and the Marine Scotland Act in early 2010, _______________________________ administrations both north and south of the border are Page 4 -5 now steaming ahead with implementation. For anyone n The Marine Acts - working in the marine environment there is a lot of change What happens next? to keep up with and for people working in and around the _______________________________ Solway and North Irish Sea there is an even larger volume Page 6 of information to contend with. As well as keeping up to n Inshore Fisheries and Conservation date with developments in both England and Scotland, Authorities people around the Solway are also affected by the marine _______________________________ management of other nearby administrations, not to mention developments further afield such as EU initiatives. Page 7 n Inshore Fisheries Groups Closer to home, an important next step will be the © Crichton Development Company _______________________________ Gordon Mann, OBE establishment of marine planning regions and the Page 8 -9 SFP Chairman Partnership has been pleased to contribute to the recent n Kings and Queens consultation on Defra marine plan areas. The outcome of this is yet to be confirmed _______________________________ but the likelihood is that the southern part of the Solway will form part of a large North West marine planning region extending right down to Wales and well out Page 10-11 into the Irish Sea. To the north, a Scottish marine region consultation is expected to n Come and join us at World get underway in June and the Partnership expects to have an active role to play in Oceans Week 2010! ensuring the views of local people are heard. _______________________________ Page 12 -13 As many of you will know, the exceptional flooding at the end of November resulted n Conference 2010 Report; past, in the disappointing postponement of our annual conference. However, we were present and future delighted to welcome around 150 people to our re-scheduled event in early February _______________________________ where we enjoyed an irreverent and entertaining keynote address from Eric Robson. The launch of the Solway Energy Gateway Feasibility Study attracted much media Page 14 interest and it will be interesting to see what the future holds as renewable energy n The wreck of the SS Riverside technology develops. We have had excellent feedback on the event and our thanks _______________________________ are due to all the speakers who played such an important part in making the day a Page 15 success. n Philip Henry Goss Progress on a Management Scheme for Luce Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) _______________________________ has been frustratingly slow for reasons outwith the Partnership’s control and this Page 16 has tested the patience of everyone with an interest in the site. The fact that there n Unusual shell found in Luce Bay are very strong views about the way Luce Bay should be managed is a healthy and n Invasive sea squirt arrives in encouraging demonstration of the genuine passion people have for the marine Scottish waters environment. As the plan moves towards a conclusion, it is more appropriate for _______________________________ the statutory bodies, principally SNH and Marine Scotland, to lead this work. The Page 17 Partnership will continue to contribute to the process and to support integration between all interests in the site. n More energy sources in On the education front, the Partnership was pleased to attend another successful the Solway? Environment Day in Dumfries in March. Throughout the day, around 400 children n Irish Sea Conservation Zones donned white coats and goggles to take part in an experiment at the Solway project wants your views! Firth Partnership ‘laboratory’. The aim was to demonstrate the process of ocean n The Green Blue acidification in a simple and memorable way. By blowing through a straw into water - good and bad news containing a pH indicator, the reaction of carbon dioxide with water to form carbonic _______________________________ acid could be dramatically witnessed. After a few seconds of blowing, the bright blue Page 18 liquid turned vivid yellow! n Marvellous Mersehead - an experience of a lifetime! Finally, I am delighted to have been appointed as Chairman of the Scottish Coastal n Festival of the Solway Mosses Forum recently. The Forum brings together many of the organisations with an interest _______________________________ in the marine environment at national level as well as helping to link the grass roots work of the local Partnerships with the policy makers. Having a foot in each camp Page 19 benefits the work of both the Scottish Coastal Forum and Solway Firth Partnership. n The fireworks of Shoulder O’ Craig I hope you enjoy the summer out and about on the Solway coast and sea. _______________________________ Page 20 Gordon Mann OBE n RSPB Mull of Galloway - getting Chairman, Solway Firth Partnership ready for a busy summer! _______________________________ Disclaimer Page 21 n Explore the Solway Sea Shore Tidelines is the newsletter of the Solway n Dates for your Diary Firth Partnership. Although all due care is _______________________________ taken regarding the information published in Page 22-23 Tidelines, Solway Firth Partnership cannot be n Dates for your Diary held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies _______________________________ contained in Tidelines. Tidelines may include links to websites for information, but Solway Firth Partnership has no responsibility for the Front cover: View of Ardwall Island content of these links. Please note that the and Fleet Bay from Carrick shore; part views and opinions expressed in Tidelines of the Fleet Valley National Scenic are not necessarily those of the Solway Firth Area; Keith Kirk. Partnership. 2 Departures and Arrivals at Solway Firth Partnership A change for Alastair... Goodbye he Partnership has seen Group – the ‘engine’ of the Tmany changes since its organisation which provides to Sue... inception sixteen years ago a steer on the detailed work but a very welcome constant programme. In this capacity has been Alastair McNeill’s Alastair has brought a great support. In 1994, the Solway deal of enthusiasm, expertise River Purification Board and encouragement to the (SRPB) nominated Alastair as organisation which has been a member of the Partnership greatly appreciated. with early work focusing on His recent retirement from development of the substantial SEPA marks a change in volume, The Solway Firth Alastair’s role with the Review. Published in 1996, Partnership and though the Review is a comprehensive stepping down from the report on all things Solway Working Group we are and, though now dated, is delighted that Alastair has still a well used reference indicated a willingness to be document. considered for appointment to The SRPB later became the Solway Firth Partnership the Scottish Environment Board of Trustees. Formal Protection Agency (SEPA) consideration will need to fter two and a half have had a fantastic time with with Alastair taking up the be deferred until the next Ayears of sterling service, the Partnership, experiencing lead post of Area Manager. AGM but Alastair has kindly Sue Hall has decided to a huge range of marine issues Alastair continued to play a agreed to stay in contact in an move on from her post as and challenges. It’s been a pivotal role in the Partnership’s advisory capacity meanwhile. Project Officer to pastures lot of fun and I hope to stay development, as a member On behalf of everyone at the new and will be taking up in touch with the Partnership of management groups, Partnership, we would like to full time study for an MSc during my studies. I have met a regular contributor to sincerely thank Alastair for in Carbon Management some great people during my Tidelines and speaker at annual all his help and support over from September with the time here and I wish everyone conferences. For the past five the years and wish him a very University of Glasgow at the luck for the future, especially years, Alastair has chaired happy and well earned break. Crichton Campus. Sue has the Partnership in the exciting the Partnership’s Working been a tremendous asset to times ahead!” the Partnership and, with We would like to say a big a background in scientific thank you to Sue for all her research, brought a new set hard work and wish her the of skills to the organisation. very best of luck with her Sue says, “It is with great studies. And welcome regret that I will be leaving the Partnership in September to continue with my studies Top Photo: Sue in action (third to June and Billy... in environmental science. I from right) eanwhile, we are delighted to welcome June Lochhead Mand Dr Billy Sinclair who have recently joined the Partnership’s Board bringing us up to a full complement of Dr Billy Sinclair started working with the Partnership more twelve Trustees for the first time. recently, providing a very useful link with the academic world in his capacity as Senior Lecturer with the University June is a founding Member and Secretary of the Galloway of Cumbria Faculty of Wildlife and Conservation. Billy has Static Gear Fishermen’s Association. The Association comprises eighteen years of marine research experience including time around twelve full-time static gear fishermen working in spent working on the Barrier Reef in Australia and is author the Wigtown Bay, Luce Bay and west coast of the Rhins of a wide range of scientific publications.