People fighting a plan to dredge a deep water channel in Falmouth Harbour are meeting in the town tonight. They claim it'll damage fishing grounds and the marine environment.
But business leaders say it's needed to bring in larger vessels and expand the port. A trial dredge has been carried out to check the effect on rare seaweed.
A trial dredge off Falmouth has begun today to see if a controversial deep water channel can be opened up to the port. The £200,000 trial will measure the potential impact on rare marine life and the fishing grounds.
Opponents fear dredging will cause damage to the environment, but supporters say it's vital for the future expansion of the port.
Our Cornwall correspondent Steve Hardy reports:
A controversial trial to see if Falmouth Harbour can be expanded through dredging has begun today.
The £200,000 trial will measure the potential impact of the work.
Environmentalists fear it will damage marine life, including rare seaweed on the river bed. It's expected to last six months.
Mark Sansom, who is the Falmouth Harbour Master says the work is "vital for the future of the port".
But fisherman David Thomas argues that it "threatens the livelihood of all of the inshore fishing fleet".
Oyster fisherman Chris Ranger says the money Cornwall Council is planning to spend on dredging Falmouth harbour would be better spent on services.
A delegation from Falmouth is in Brussels today to seek advice on dredging the town's harbour.
The work threatens a rare seaweed that's protected by European delegation. Unions and port officials want to know how the work can go ahead within EU rules.
A trial is due to take place in May to decide if Falmouth Harbour should be dredged. Although it would boost the local economy creating hundreds of jobs, conservationists worry that it could damage a rare seaweed which grows in the Harbour. Steve Hardy reports.
Dredging could take place in Falmouth Harbour as part of a scientific trial to see if it has any harmful impact on the seabed. The harbour authority says dredging is essential to allow the port to develop in the future. The trial could start as early as May if permission is granted.
Falmouth harbour will soon be dredged as part of a scientific trial. It's part of a joint project between the Falmouth Harbour Commissioners, Cornwall Council and Plymouth University.