Representing 25 local and national bodies with interests in the wildlife of the Dee Estuary

 AIRBUS UK/MOSTYN DOCK – RIVER DEE DREDGING

 DECG has refrained from making public comment until it had time to consider all aspects of the situation. We would now like to make the following points:

• DECG has been fully aware of the commercial importance of the Airbus project for a long time and, indeed, had detailed discussions with Airbus personnel about wings trans-shipment in January 2003.
• Nevertheless, we are disturbed by many of the comments made in the media apparently minimising the importance of the estuary’s wildlife. The Dee Estuary is one of the most important sites for wildfowl and waders in the UK – it is the most important for Pintail and Black-tailed Godwit – and this is recognised by National and International designations signed by the UK government and the European Union. There is no site in the UK with more protective designations.
• The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Environment Agency Wales, in refusing consent for the dredging proposal, concluded that the estuary’s wildlife could potentially be seriously damaged by erosion of sandbanks and other intertidal areas which are key feeding areas for birds: these are also scarce and declining habitats in their own right. This cannot be allowed to happen – if the habitat is lost there are no other places for birds to move to.
•  It should also be noted that thousands of people visit the estuary each year to watch birds and that they contribute significantly to the local economy by spending in shops, hotels etc. Ecotourism is a growth industry.
• We understand that the ship transporting Airbus wings out of Mostyn needs only to sail twice a month: given this infrequency of sailing it is difficult to understand why departure times couldn’t be adjusted by a few hours to allow for sailings at high tide which would require much reduced dredging operations? A little flexibility by Airbus UK could both safeguard jobs and investment and protect the environment for wildlife and public enjoyment.

Contacts: Neil Friswell 01829 770463 and Raymond Roberts 01244 818339