Consumption of sand and gravel can fluctuate with economic cycles, but it is increasingly in demand for coastal protection purposes, particularly in response to sea-level rise and climate change.

The continued extraction of sea-dredged sand and gravel is important to help meet this demand. However as with land-based operations, extraction and transportation options need to be economically viable; meeting, and often reconciling, environmental, social and commercial needs – whether the preservation of habitats, protection of fishery interest, or the construction of off-shore wind farms.

Environmental concerns are further emphasised by the aims of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the overarching goal of which is to achieve Good Environmental Status across Europe’s marine environment by 2020.

This EMSAGG conference will cover a range of topics highly relevant to the dredging industry, its regulators, customers and other stakeholders covering both technical and non-technical issues.

The technical scope potentially includes geophysical and other detection methods, mapping techniques, extraction methods and applications.

The key theme of the conference, ‘Finding common ground’ is on reconciling the needs of different stakeholders – whether in terms of environmental protection or potentially conflicting use. It will also explore how stakeholders’ needs can be reconciled and the role of a responsible dredging industry in moving towards a sustainable outcome.