Posted on May 12, 2016
MP Sarah Newton has thrown her weight behind the Packet’s campaign to get Cornwall Council to support the dredging of an approach channel to Falmouth Docks.
The Falmouth and Truro MP has written an email in support of the newspaper’s Pledge to Dredge campaign, which in its first week collected over 1,000 signatures urging the chief executive of Cornwall Council to give full backing and commit financially to the project should it be green-lit by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
Mrs Newton wrote: “Falmouth is one of the UK’s historic ports that connects Britain to the wider world – with 95 per cent of our imports and exports travelling by sea, this link remains as important as ever. I want to see Falmouth’s role as a port flourish and regularly lobby for investment into port based businesses, bringing a range of ministers to meet businesses based there.”
She said she was proud of “the excellent workforce at A&P Falmouth,” and the relationship between the docks and naval support vessels, as well as the “world class Pendennis Yachts” and the “great success story” of Fal Fish, and said: “Businesses in the port feel strongly that they need a new channel in the harbour in order for the port to remain in business.”
She also highlighted the importance of dredging not damaging the marine habitats of the Fal and its native oyster fishery, and said a 2012 trial dredge was “an important step towards gaining consent for dredging” conclusively indicating that the dredging can happen “without ruining our precious natural environment.”
She concluded: “I support the Falmouth Packets campaign to show Cornwall Council how much local support there is for this dredge. I believe the dredge will enable the cry of ‘Falmouth for orders’ to be heard for many years to come.”
The petition was launched last week after Falmouth Harbour Commissioners (FHC) presented a five year study into the environmental impact of dredging to the government’s marine licensing body the MMO, which will be reviewed as part of the pre-application process for a license to dredge.
The petition has also gathered many messages of support. Joseph Kelly of Falmouth wrote: “The possibility of damage to a small amount of maerl is unproven, but the economic case is overwhelming.”
John Wescott, also of Falmouth, said: “We need the employment opportunities and the income for the county. And David Fortey said: “Falmouth will cease to be a commercial port if the dredging does not go ahead.”
From Redruth, Angela Angove added: “It’s about time that Kernow and in this case Falmouth, got a slice of the cruise ships destinations around our coast. I understand that the maerl beds are nowhere near where they want to dredge. Go for it harbour authority you got my blessing.”
To sign the Packet’s Pledge to Dredge Campaign go to www.change.org/p/cornwall-council-support-for-the-falmouth-packet-s-pledge-to-dredge-campaign
There will also be a paper copy of the petition available to sign in Moor News on The Moor in Falmouth.
Source: thePacket
