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PROJECTS and schemes run for the benefit of coastal communities all around the UK will share over £200,000 in funding from The Crown Estate’s programme of marine stewardship.
The projects receiving support include:
* Dover Sea Sports Development Centre received a £25,000 contribution towards a new centre of excellence for training and education in maritime skills;
* £15,000 was awarded to KIMO towards establishing their Fishing for Litter scheme in the South-west. The scheme provides bags for fishermen to collect marine litter, which accumulates in their nets. A team of volunteers collect the waste from dedicated harbours around the Devon and Cornwall coast which is monitored and then disposed of;
* RSPB Cymru continues their association with The Crown Estate by receiving £10,000 towards the cost of Information Officers at their Newport and Conwy nature reserves. The Information Officers will run guided walks of the reserves, provide information to visitors and involve people in nature conservation and the environment;
* Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum who have received £21,000 over three years for their outdoor charter group and marine code group. Both of these groups educate user groups on Pembrokeshire’s environment and wildlife; and
* Funding of £21,000 over three years will assist the Scottish Wildlife Fund and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society employ the seasonal Wildlife Centre Ranger at land owned by The Crown Estate at Spey Bay.
The grants have been made from the latest round of awards from The Crown Estate’s marine communities fund, part of the organisation’s programme of marine stewardship.
Dr Carolyn Heeps, Head of Policy, Science and Sustainable Development for The Crown Estate, said: “The aim of our marine communities fund is to provide support to initiatives and programmes which contribute to the development of best practice and make a significant contribution to the good management and stewardship of the marine estate.
“We are delighted to support these diverse projects, each of which we believe will bring real benefits and enjoyment to the coastal communities where they are based.”
The coastline around the UK will also benefit from £20,000 awarded to the Marine Conservation Society towards their UK-wide Adopt-a-Beach and Beachwatch schemes, which operate a network of local communities who survey and clean litter from beaches. The Crown Estate has supported this important initiative since 1999.
With around 55% or the foreshore, approximately half of all estuary beds and tidal rivers out to the 12 mile territorial limit, the marine estate is the largest and most diverse within The Crown Estate. The Crown Estate is committed to sustainable and long-term management of these unique assets.
The Crown Estate’s dedicated programme of marine stewardship helps deliver these aims and is a core element of the organisation’s corporate responsibility plan.
In addition to the marine communities fund, The Crown Estate’s marine stewardship also supports marine research delivering well managed, high quality research projects that provide scientific evidence to support business planning and the management of current and future offshore assets and the seabed.
The deadline for applications for the next funding round for marine communities fund projects is Thursday October 25, 2007. This is for projects that are planned to begin after April 1, 2008 in the financial year 2008/2009. Project applications can be received any time before the deadline.
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