Hi Swanners! Firstly, how exciting to see SWAN establishing itself as a CIC and leading the charge in getting sustainable aquaculture at the forefront of people's minds. We're delighted to be a member of SWAN, and are looking forward to the re-launch event soon!
By way of background, or for those who don't know of us, Langstone Harbour spans 5000 acres within the Solent region. It is bordered by Portsmouth, the UK's 17th largest city, and is internationally recognised for its importance to wildlife, breeding Terns and overwintering Brent Geese to name but two. The Harbour is a shallow historic basin, created when sea levels rose after the last glacial period. As such, it's not excellent for large commercial shipping, but is a haven for leisure sailors.
Like much of the coast, Langstone suffers from nutrient loading. With the South Downs and large urban centres on its doorstep, nutrients filters through agricultural runoff and wastewater discharges, resulting in excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the system. We've been looking at ways in which we might explore mitigating loading. Seaweed seemed like the obvious solution! We intend to apply for a Marine Licence to establish a 2ha seaweed aquaculture site in a disused mooring area in the harbour. We're very fortunate to have a statutorily constituted Advisory Committee with whom we have been consulting on the proposal.
This initiative is part of our broader ambition to position Langstone Harbour as a ‘Living Lab’—a dynamic testbed for innovation in nature restoration, environmental sustainability, and net-zero solutions. With its unique mix of ecological, urban, and industrial influences, Langstone is ideally placed to host pilot studies that explore cutting-edge approaches to habitat restoration, carbon sequestration, and water quality improvement. By fostering collaboration between researchers, industry, and regulators, we aim to create a hub where science meets practical application, accelerating the transition to more sustainable coastal management. Sitting on our shores, Portsmouth University’s Institute of Marine Sciences is perfectly positioned to contribute its expertise, ensuring that insights gained here can inform policy and practice both regionally and beyond.
Looking forward to meeting the Network soon.
For anyone looking to get in touch, my email is megan.roberts@langstoneharbour.org.uk 🙂
