Sedimentation patterns caused by scallop dredging in a physically dynamic environment |
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| Authors: | Dale A C Boulcott P Sherwin T J |
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| Institution: | a Scottish Association for Marine Science, Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, Argyll PA37 1QA, Scotland, UK
b Marine Scotland-Science, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Rm B13, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, Scotland, UK |
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| Abstract: | Scallop dredging grounds in the Firth of Lorn, western Scotland, are juxtaposed with rocky reef habitats raising concerns that reef communities may be impacted by sediment disturbed by nearby scallop dredging. A particle-tracking model of sediment transport and settling is applied at two scales. In the near-field, a suspension of typical sand/gravel-dominated bed sediment is subjected to a steady current across the dredge track. In the far-field, silt particles, which may persist in suspension for multiple tidal cycles, are tracked in the context of a regional model of tidally-driven flow. The principal sedimentary risk to reef habitats is predicted to come from settling sand particles when dredge tracks approach within tens of metres of a reef. The cumulative effect of dredging at the relatively low intensities recorded in this region is not expected to have a significant long-term impact on suspended silt concentrations and settlement in this highly dispersive environment. |
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| Keywords: | Scallop dredging Fishing impact Sediment Suspension Dispersion |
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