In maps: why Britain is running out of sea
With energy companies, industrial fishers and wildlife campaigners all fighting for precious space, the outcome will decide who rules our waters
The Sunday Times
About 70 miles off the Yorkshire coast lies a vast sandbank which 8,000 years ago formed a bridge between Britain and mainland Europe. Now sunk beneath the waves, the shallow waters of Dogger Bank — familiar to anyone who has ever heard the radio shipping forecast — are a haven for marine life.
There are soft corals, crabs, sponges, sharks, fish of all descriptions and even ocean quahogs, mysterious clams which can live for 500 years. In recognition of their importance to sea life, these shallow waters have been designated a marine protected area (MPA), one of 371 around British coasts.
But that does not mean the sea life is being left in peace. “These areas of prime habitat lie right in the path of