Thames Estuary Research Forum Steering Group Meeting - 13 July 2004

Date: 13 Jul 2004

13.00 – 16.00
School of Public Policy
31/32 Tavistock Square

Attendees

Tim Reeder	TR	Environment Agency (Chair)
Peter Balson	PB	British Geological Survey
Peter Jones	PJ	BIFFA
Brian Shaw	BS	London Port Health Authority
Martin Atrill	MA	University of Plymouth
Steve Colclough	SC	Environment Agency
Kristina Gamst	KG	Thames Estuary Partnership
Dianne James	DJ	Thames Estuary Partnership

1. Introductions and apologies

TR welcomed the TERF and invited introductions. 

Apologies were given on behalf of:
• Peter Massini (English Nature)
• Lis Dyson (Kent County Council)
• Liz Holliday (Kent County Council)
• Steve Smith (Kings College London)
• Sarah Draper (Medway Swale Partnership)
• Sylvia Tunstall (Middlesex University)
• Ian Tittley (Natural History Museum),
• Jonathan Potts (National Maritime Museum)
• Nicola Clay (PLA)
• Emer Costello (Planning – Barking & Dagenham)
• Alison Giacomelli (RSPB)
• Chris Coode (Thames21)
• Catherine Bailey (Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership)
• Graham Underwood (University of Essex)
• Peter Glaves (University of Greenwich),
• Paul Zukowskyj (University of Hertfordshire)
• John Bristow (University of Cranfield).
• Phil Shaw (University of Cranfield)
• Jon French (University College London)
• Jeremy Morely (University College London)
• Kevin House (Environment Agency)
• Richard Teeuw (University of Portsmouth)
• Alison Shaw (Zoological Society of London)

2.   Actions and matters arising from last meeting     

It was agreed that actions and matters arising would be covered during the course of the meeting.

3.   Presentation: Thames Estuary 2100, Tim Reeder

Tim Reeder presented summary of Thames Estuary 2100 work to date. It was agreed that hard copies of the presentation would be made available at the next TERF meeting.
    
Following the presentation the TERF discussed the TE2100 project in terms of the
• Thames Gateway regeneration proposals and possible implications for flood risk management
• Possible options to extend the design life of the Thames Barrier and the possibilities of another barrier in the future
• The Implications of flood risk, climate change and regeneration on the ecology and habitats within the Thames Estuary and the mitigation opportunities to compensate for loss.

TR demonstrated Flood Ranger, a 3D flood risk assessment / climate change scenario tool.( Available from Discovery Software, App £50.)

SC described the Environment Agency research project: Fish Utilisation of Managed Realignment.(see documents attached).
The research will look at 3 key issues
1) Fish utilisation – site design and sampling methodologies
2) The Economic benefits of managed realignment projects
3) The Ecological benefits in terms of Nutrients and Carbon sinks

It is supported by the Interreg communities initiative COMCOAST. More broadly COMCOAST addresses issues of flood risk and habitat and birds.

SC invited partners to get involved in the project and seek future opportunities to work more closely. Partners were invited to contribute funding to the project if they so wished.

The project will require extensive public/stakeholder engagement with development of an educational Centre with Essex Wildlife trust.

SC also outlined that following a meeting in Holland the previous week, wider European connections had been confirmed and links with flood defence networks were established.

DJ informed the TERF that the TEP were currently holding discussions with CEFAS, and the PLA to include juvenile fish survey data for the Thames Estuary on the IES. It was also noted that there were potential opportunities to look at the role of the Southern North Sea as a fish nursery and the impacts of local developments e.g port development.

PJ (Biffa) identified possible funding opportunities via Biffaward and possibilities were discussed which included

• fisheries management/new fishing piers
• Salt marsh mechanisms in relation to fish (Abbotts Hall)

PJ informed the group that certain selection criteria must be met in terms of scale, human impact, match funding, transferability, press , PR and publicity.

More details can be found at www.biffaward.co.uk.
DJ informed the TERF that the TEP were registered with ENTRUST and funding proposals may be submitted via the TEP.

Action
Dianne James to circulate BIFFA link and Jonathan.Knobs @biffa.co.uk contact details

4. Research Library update  
      
DJ presented an update of the progress of the TERF library.  This included:
• TEP developing letter of agreement with Posford Haskoning / EA and TGSEP regarding sharing of information from Thames Estuary Research Audits currently being undertaken.
Action TEP to meet with EA, Posford Haskoning and TGSEP

5. State of the Estuary Report

DJ updated TERF on the SoTE report. She outlined the

Aims
• To increase knowledge of the Thames Estuary
• To enable better informed decision making
• To improve understanding of the Thames estuary

The objectives of the report will be:
• To provide a technical report for the Greater Thames Estuary – Audit of current information/research/data –Spring /Summer 2005.
• To provide a prospectus of challenges and opportunities for future research – Winter 2005.

The outputs will be:
• State of the Estuary Technical report – facts and figures
• State of the Estuary Prospectus of Challenges and Research Opportunities
 
Programme for the SoTE report:
  Technical report – Spring/ summer 2005
  SoTE prospectus of challenges and opportunities – winter 2005
  Annual review – winter 2006
Revised Management Guidance/ programme of work for the Thames Estuary – winter 2007

Scope/content of report:
• Following discussions with partners and the SoTE Action Group, a number of issues/challenges for the Estuary have been identified – DJ circulated a proposed flyer
• The State of the Estuary report will cover the Greater Thames Estuary and will information for the Medway Swale area, Essex Estuaries and the Kent Coast. In partnership with MSP/KCC/EEI –  In terms of geography the report will consider the Area of land or sea adjacent to the estuary depending on environmental or management needs
• It was agreed by the TERF that TEP staff will visit partners to identify and gather  sources of information, data and research to inform the State of the Estuary technical report

Future management of the report:
• Programme for the SoTE report – audit/analysis/agenda
Through TERF, TEP Action Groups and consultation events the TEP will

• Identify and collate  information on key issues/ challenges for the Thames Estuary
• Identify groups/individuals/ organisations to analyse and interpret information to provide summary of future challenges and opportunities for research and development along the Thames Estuary
• During development of the technical report, TEP will be seeking commitment from partners for long term support of the SoTE report

Annual review:
• Monitoring and Evaluation of the report to show variance in State of the estuary. TEP and partners will be developing a monitoring and evaluation programme for the annual review. This will help demonstrate the benefits of the report in measuring the variance in health/status of the Estuary     Winter 2006
• Revised Management Guidance for the Thames Estuary – Action plan developed through consultation for future research and projects to increase knowledge, improve understanding and make better decisions for the Thames Estuary. Winter 2007

6. Communication

DJ informed the TERF that the TEP were currently developing

• A SoTE flyer to raise awareness of the project and encourage participation
• Business Forum to
Demonstrate benefits of working in partnership
Raise awareness of the aims and objectives of the SoTE report
Encourage participation/contribution to the SoTE report
Encourage networking to discuss possible opportunities for future working and funding

Action
Comments on SoTE from group the next couple of months (before next TERF meeting)
TEP to provide summary of progress at the next TERF

Action
DJ to communicate / visit all TERF members during August /September

Action
TERF to comment on flyer / 20 issues list before the end of September

Action
Flyer to be produced by mid October

7. AOB
• Business Forum 25th November 2004
• Annual Forum – 3rd of December 2004 at the National Maritime Museum

Action
DJ to forward information on Business Forum and Annual Forum to TERF group

• Agenda items for next meeting
• Presentation on WebGIS mapping of Seazone
Update of State of Estuary report and meetings held over the Summer
 Development of Thames Estuary Atlas – State of the Estuary Programme Steering Group
European project development
 ENCORA
 COPRANET
Projects List 2004/5 – TERF members to provide list of student projects for 2004/5 to include full contact details of project lead f
Research Library
Communications

Action
Group to feed back agenda items to DJ

8. Date of next meeting – to be confirmed (potentially late October/early November.)