Effects of extraction of marine sediments on the marine environment 1998-2004

Each year across the ICES Area, approximately 53 million m3 of sand and gravel are extracted from licensed areas of the seabed as a source of aggregate for the construction industry, either to supplement land‐based sources or as a source of material for beach nourishment. Because planning constraints and resource exhaustion are tending to restrict the extraction of sand and gravel (aggregate) from terrestrial sources, attention is increasingly being focused on the importance of seabed resources to satisfy part of the demand for aggregates. The seabed is also recognized as the only viable source of material for beach recharge in coastal defence schemes. In recognition of this, the exploitation of marine resources is supported in most ICES Member Countries by national and international minerals policies, subject to environmental safe‐ guards. The use of marine resources reduces the pressure to work land of agricultural importance or of environmental and hydrological value and, where materials can be landed close to the point of use, an additional benefit is that long‐distance overland transport is avoided. However, the benefits of using marine sand and gravel must be balanced with the potentially significant environmental impacts