U.K. Environment: Solent Seascape Project Launched To Restore Marine Habitats

A £5m scheme to restore marine habitats along the Solent over the next five years has been announced.

The Solent Seascape Project will cover an area of the major shipping lane spanning about 522 sq km.

It will see 10 organisations work together on four types of habitat – seagrass meadows, oyster reefs, saltmarsh and seabird nesting sites.

They aim to develop a plan to protect and restore “at least 30% of the Solent’s seascape”.

The Solent is recognised as an internationally-important wintering and breeding ground for seabirds.

Habitats have become “fragmented and degraded”, with mud and sand banks and the seabed under pressure from coastal development, project organisers said.

Louise MacCallum, of the Blue Marine Foundation described the approach as “pioneering”.

“Using our combined knowledge, passion and experience on a project which will genuinely benefit marine wildlife in an area of the world we all love is such an amazing thing to be able to do.”