EXPLANATORY NOTES ON THE SUMMARY OF AN INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF FILEY BAY AND ITS ENVIRONS, COMMISSIONED BY FILEY AGAINST DREDGING, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ESTUARINE STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HULL

Despite the withdrawal, in December 1990, of ARC Marine's application to dredge for sand and gravel in Filey Bay, the Crown Estate still categorically refuse to rule out the possibility of future dredging in the area by ARC, or any other company. The threat of dredging, therefore, is still a very real and ongoing possibility.

We were advised by the Marine Conservation Society, who are experts in such matters, that our only way to fight this threat was to commission an INDEPENDENT survey of the area.

The Department of the Environment, in conjunction with Crown Estate, have just completed a three year study of the availability of sand and gravel on North Humberside and the Yorkshire coast. This indicates substantial deposits of sand and gravel to the east of Flamborough Head and surrounding areas.

The comprehensive scientific survey now compiled for Filey Against Dredging by Hull University, has had some unexpected findings.

There exists, under northerly sea conditions, a river of sand which runs from Filey Bay, around Flamborough Head to the Smithic Sands in Bridlington Bay. Under southerly sea conditions, sand returns around the Head to Filey Bay.

It had previously been thought that Flamborough Head was an effective barrier to such movement, but our research has proved that this is clearly not the case.

Any dredging taking place in Filey Bay, off Flamborough Head or Smithic Sands would stop the return flow of sediment and the projection is that the beach would vanish!

The research carried out by Hull University was conducted along guidelines laid down by the Department of the Environment and Hydraulic Research. Wallingford.

There are three main criteria for preventing a dredging application being successful. Our research has shown that Filey Bay qualifies on two out of the three - the third being marginal. These are as follows:

1. That The sediments removed must not be mobile or active
   In Filey Bay, sediments are highly active out to a depth of 22 metres, under the 50 year wave parameter. This means that under certain wave conditions, the sand and gravel move.
2. The sediments removed should not form part of an active transport path
   Clearly Filey qualifies in this aspect now that the river of sand around Flamborough Head, to and from Filey Bay, has been discovered.
3. That In removing a layer of sand 10 centimetres (four inches) thick, the increase in shoreline wave energy will not exceed 10 percent the figure that will cause further cliff erosion.
   Using this parameter, our research indicated that the increase in wave energy should be somewhat less than that figure.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are also involved in the granting of dredging applications and much of our research was in collating new and existing information on marine life in the Bay. Any threat to this would have not only environmental, but socio-economic effects on the livelihood of people in the area, especially local fishermen. The Bay is, at present, a vital nursery area for flat fish and a breeding ground for crabs, lobsters and herrings. Equally important to the bird colony at Bempton Cliffs would be the loss of sand eels, normally available in vast quantities and on which the birds feed.

It is therefore, patemly obvious that any dredging activity in the area of our beautiful and unique Bay would be catastrophic.

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FILEY AGAINST DREDGING