TIDAL LAGOONS AND OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED FOR NATIVE OYSTER RESTORATION

Andy Schofield

Head of Fisheries, Tidal Lagoon Power, Pillar & Lucy House, Merchants Road, The Docks, Gloucester, GL2 5RG, UK

e-mail: andrew.schofield@tidallagoonpower.com

Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon will, when constructed, provide sufficient electricity to power over 150,000 homes. It is proposed to be the fore-runner for several other lagoon projects which will be of a larger scale in terms of both physical construction and energy generation.

The lagoon project was granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) in 2015 by UK Government and is now awaiting a Marine Licence from Natural Resources Wales prior to proceeding. Construction of the lagoon will take approximately four years and will result in a 9.5km sea wall extending into Swansea Bay enclosing an area, which will remain tidal, of 11.5km² .

Whilst the primary purpose of the lagoon is to generate clean, dependable, renewable energy, there is a strong focus on secondary benefits including the provision of recreation and aquaculture facilities.

There is a requirement under the provisions of the DCO for the company behind the proposals, Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay (TLSB), to remove as many native oysters as possible from the footprint of the lagoon prior to construction. 

As part of the company’s commitment to protecting and enhancing the environment, a programme of native oyster restoration within Swansea Bay is being considered with future expansion to other species of conservation concern. In support of the native oyster restoration programme, TLSB aims to develop a hatchery with associated laboratory, classrooms and spatting ponds. The company is keen to provide for the development of skills training and educational programmes.

Andy Schofield, Head of Fisheries at Tidal Lagoon Power, will outline the operation of lagoons, the company’s current proposals for oyster restoration and potential opportunity presented by future lagoons.