RECENTLY it came to the attention of the fishing industry in Pembrokeshire that there are potential plans to establish marine energy installation outside of St Govans in south Pembrokeshire.

This area has been identified by a developer as a possible site and so a wavebouy was deployed there (by Swansea University) to collect more data on the wave resource for area and help the university with some wave modelling for the SW.

Wave Hub is at some point in the future planning to go through a period of engagement and consultation with stakeholders to see if the current position of the zone is right. It will include an evaluation of the social economic implications along with a minimum of two years of environmental studies before full planning could be issued.

The twist in the tale here is in reality the project has already actually begun and has been underway for a number of years, and clearly discussions have taken place at quite high level with Welsh Government, Councillors and Assembly Members, and the area has even been granted a licence for a “Demonstration Zone”

by the Crown Estates.

Clearly the case for such an energy installation of our coast will be made via the argument that it is a renewable energy project, which will help to combat global warming, whilst providing energy security for the UK, with the added benefit of provide jobs and opportunity for local people both during and after construction.

In reality what seems like a green energy project could in fact be more detrimental to the marine environment in the long term than any other activity taking place presently at sea of our Pembrokeshire coast, and the long term effects to marine mammals and fish/ shellfish migration patterns, or the effects of electric cables strewn across the sea bed will have on rays and flat fish species within these areas.

And the truth is they were hardly going to announce that there will be no jobs for locals and that there is already a huge surplus of labour in the marine energy sector.

As for climate change, well we simply do not buy into it, and believe that the world is simple moving on its axes causing “variation” and exposing the poles to more sunlight and the ice caps to melt causing the earth to warm and ocean currents to alter, which is a cycle which the world has been in for millions of years. And one of which that more scientifically minded individuals support than the greenhouse scenario.

There has recently been a series of engagement events held across Pembrokeshire, but the engagement events should have realistically been held two years ago before the wavebouy was installed or the application for the “Demonstration Zone” or high level discussions took place, clearly supporters wished to get their feet under the table before showing their cards!

I find it hard to understand how some local marine conservationists could support marine energy projects whilst at the same time objecting to small scale commercial fishing taking place within inshore waters around the Pembrokeshire coast, leaving the fishing industry to champion the marine environment in the face of large developers, the sea is the last realm of our world where a true wilderness exists, but our industrialisation of the land has now spilt over to the sea around our coast, our insatiable thirst for growth at the expense of all else. But with the planned installation of tide/wave/wind energy units around our coast, man simply knows no boundaries for development!

Clearly to any developer the aspects concerning local people are not at the forefront of the developers list, or why would they invest in time and money in to a site where there was any doubt about gaining approval to eventually install the Marine Energy Unit.

Money and big business pull all the strings; local people and the environment come second.

A prime example of this is the recent extensive dredging program which has been undertaken within the Milford Haven waterway within a European Marine protected site “Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation”, with 180,000 tons of sediment being removed from the river to maintain the working depth of the Milford Haven Waterway, with a dredger 150 metres in length weighing 26,000 tons, and another dredging barge with a digger bucket capable of digging 40 tons of sediment in a single scoop… Whilst unbelievable, at the same time a 16ft fishing boat weighing less than one ton is not permitted to tow a 2ft wide dredge for oysters in the same area, because apparently it cannot be proven that it would not be damaging to the environment!

There is a clear demonstration here that big money and big business has no concern for the environment or how it affects local people, and simply hides behind the statement of “energy security… jobs. Or climate change.

There is a moral obligation here for local people and business to be made fully aware of any potential projects of our coast from the onset, along with the impact to local small scale business and the environment, without papering over the cracks to just highlight possible benefits!

Surely as County Councillors who have to responsibility for the best interest of the Pembrokeshire people realise that decisions on areas such as this proposal may occupy should have a bottom up approach and that discuss with individuals who will be affected should take place first rather than last when much time and money has been invested by Marine Energy companies.

STEPHEN DE-WAINE (local fisherman)

By email