Audible response

Danish Ports' consultation response to application to the Danish Coastal Directorate for planting eelgrass at 49 different locations in connection with the Great Eelgrass Initiative 

Coastal Directorate's J.nr. 24/00998, General comments, and explicitly regarding ID no. 19, Nakskov, ID 27 Nyborg and ID 32 Randers. 

Danish Ports hereby submits a consultation response regarding the planting of eelgrass at 49 different locations in connection with the Great Eelgrass Initiative. 

Danish Ports has not been on the consultation list in this matter, even though it directly affects our members. Danish Ports wishes to receive consultations from the Danish Coastal Directorate that are relevant to the operation of commercial ports in the future. 

At Danish Ports, we view the purpose of the Great Danish Eel Grass Initiative very positively, namely to establish large eel grass beds in coastal Danish waters, to improve habitats for fish and small animals and to contribute to the aquatic environment achieving good ecological status again. 

Such a nature restoration project must of course be located in areas that are suitable for it, and where the eelgrass can be allowed to grow dense and strong. This is not the case in the harbors' shipping lanes, which must be regularly maintained, including by removing accumulated sediment. 

In the proposed areas there are several shipping lanes and harbor inlets, and they must of course be kept free from the project's planting. Danish Ports would like to suggest that the secretariat of the Eel Grass Initiative should contact the individual harbors close to the proposed areas to jointly determine where the eel grass can be placed without conflicting with the harbor's maintenance and operation.  

Requirement for approval from nearby ports for the location of new eelgrass areas must be included as a condition in the permit for the individual sub-projects. 

Specifically, the Initiative proposes eelgrass planted in the shipping channel of the Port of Nakskov. A commercial shipping channel is infrastructure, in line with roads on land, and must be operated and maintained so that ships can move back and forth in the channel unhindered. 

It is important that such initiatives, of which there will hopefully be many, take place in cooperation with and respect for relevant stakeholders, such as commercial ports. In this way, port employees can become partners and assets in the upcoming natural restoration of Danish coastal waters. 

In this context, Danish Ports finds it positive that the project description states that the project does not wish to be detrimental to already established facilities or to shipping in the area. It is important that this is also ensured in practice.  

Excavated sediment from maintenance of the shipping channels can in some cases be used to lay on muddy seabeds, making them more suitable for planting and re-establishing eelgrass beds. This could possibly be made part of the project/future projects where new suitable areas are to be found. 

Sincerely yours, 

Camilla Rosenhagen 

Danish Ports