Harbour officials agreed to meet with residents concerned about sand and silt left on a beach from dredging at St Aubin. Letters from 24 people sent to the Government of Jersey’s environment department warned the work could harm wildlife and endanger people, prompting plans for an in-person review.
A dispute over coastal management reached officials after local complaints regarding harbour clearance work. According to Yahoo News reporting, letters from 24 people were sent to the Government of Jersey’s environment department regarding operations at St Aubin. The complainants claim that sand and silt from dredging left on a beach could harm local wildlife and pose a danger to people.
Harbour Officials Respond to Community Concerns
In response to the backlash, Harbour Master Captain William Sadler addressed the community in a letter detailing the timeline and safety measures of the operation. According to Yahoo News, Sadler stated that the work was carried out on 19 March and was part of routine maintenance to help maintain safe access to the harbour.
The letter acknowledged specific environmental worries raised by the public. Sadler stated that they noted the concerns raised regarding seagrass, wildlife, beach conditions and access to St Aubin’s Fort, adding that while officials are not currently aware of evidence linking the harbour clearance works to all of the described issues, authorities take the feedback seriously.
Regulatory Oversight and Environmental Commitments
Ports of Jersey defended the operation by pointing to strict adherence to existing laws. Captain Sadler emphasized that the dredging work was carried out with the necessary licences and regulatory oversight. He reiterated the organization’s dedication to balancing navigational safety with ecological preservation.
Captain William Sadler, Jersey Harbour Master, stated that Ports of Jersey cares deeply about both the natural environment and the communities they serve, noting that they know how important St Aubin’s Bay is to many islanders and are committed to balancing the safe operation of the harbour with protecting the character and environment of the bay.
Ministerial Review and Next Steps
Minister for Environment Mary Le Hegarat stepped into the dispute to outline the government’s investigative process. According to Yahoo News, Le Hegarat stated that officers will look to meet with a complainant in the coming days and review the situation thoroughly before reporting back so a course of action can be decided.
Waterfront Management and Sand Dredging Challenges in Lagos
Broader challenges regarding sand dredging, flooding, and environmental degradation are also under scrutiny in other regions. In Lagos, the Lagos State Government is intensifying efforts to address flooding, regulate sand dredging, and improve the management of its waterfronts and waterways. Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development Dayo Bush-Alebiosu outlined the administration’s approach during an interactive session with newsmen on Thursday in Maryland, Lagos, stating that the strategy aims to move beyond reacting to flooding after it occurs and instead identify the factors responsible for water accumulation to put appropriate interventions in place.
Bush-Alebiosu stated that the success of flood management should not be judged simply by whether flooding occurred, but by how quickly floodwater drained after rainfall. He noted that flooding happens everywhere, but what people should look at is how quickly the water drains, adding that some of these interventions should have been addressed before the problems explode and that the issue, for him, is about understanding the factors responsible and putting the right interventions in place.
The commissioner spoke extensively on the challenges confronting Lagos’ waterfronts, highlighting sand dredging, reclamation, environmental degradation, inter-agency coordination, and the need for better data to guide government decisions. Bush-Alebiosu said the state could not effectively manage its aquatic resources without knowing the quantity of sand available in its waters, where it was being dredged, and where the excavated material was ultimately going. Accurate information is essential to determining areas that can be dredged and those that need to be left undisturbed to replenish naturally.
He questioned how they could not know the amount of sand in their waters or where the sand was going, pointing out that what Lagos State has is land and water and asking how they utilise them, while further stating that if they cannot say an area should be left alone to replenish itself, they cannot do that without having the necessary information.
Expressing concern over damaging practices by some sand-mining and dredging operators, Bush-Alebiosu cited areas around the Lagos airport where extensive excavation created large craters and left significant portions of land degraded. Government officials used a drone to survey an area extending several kilometres within the airport environment and observed the extent of the excavation. He remarked that he did not know the last time anyone was at the Lagos airport, noting there is a huge expanse of land designated for that purpose, and explained that they used a drone that went as far as five kilometres ahead of them within the airport area, describing what they saw as quite disturbing and stating that today they have craters and areas that have been dug up.
Bush-Alebiosu explained that sand excavation involved different layers of soil, each serving a particular purpose that should be properly handled after excavation. He warned that failing to restore or properly manage excavated sites leaves the government with expensive environmental remediation challenges.
