Tidal Power Lagoons

[Beaky]

I heard today on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show about plans to build huge lagoons in the Bristol channel and around North Wales to generate electricity using tidal power. It seems that the schemes are being pushed quite hard by the government. It sounds like it could be horrendous for the fishing and the general marine environment.

Anyone any thoughts?

[Juliogeordio]

Migrating fish will struggle but they are selling it as an 'artificial reef' type scenario which i suppose it will be. Swings and roundabouts I recon. Will look horrendous though and a bit of a blight on the landscape!

[flatrock]

Will probably benefit marine life but have a negative effect on salmon and seatrout but we sea anglers shouldnt worry when have the snooty salmon fraternity been concerned about the state of our sport?

[InCodweTrust]

Just what we need...another 'Jack'...alright !

Will probably benefit marine life but have a negative effect on salmon and seatrout but we sea anglers shouldnt worry when have the snooty salmon fraternity been concerned about the state of our sport?

With an attitude like that is it any wonder the Angling voice is never, truly, taken seriously, and the powers that be, ignore us at will, and run roughshod over our sport as they see fit ?
I am a 'Fisherman plain and simple!'.
I fish Coarse, Shore, Boat, Trout, and Salmon, with varying levels of proficiency.
I don't look down on any of my fellow anglers, and the only thing I envy about them is their greater skill , and ability, when it is present.

Should I pull my fly impregnated hat firmly over my brow, and start a petition, to get all angling banned on these proposed super lagoons, due health, and safety, concerns ? After all I wouldn't want people to to think I was anything other than a selfish, vindictive, petty, Salmon angler? Unless of course I happened to on a Cod mark with a Zippy in my hand ?

Mel....

[Charlton]

if they let you fish from the massive barriers they will be erecting it would be great, a bit like boat fishiong from the shore

[flatrock]

Oooooh bites are hard to come by this time of year but i think ive just had one!

[InCodweTrust]

Yeah right !

Oooooh bites are hard to come by this time of year but i think ive just had one!

So you made that statement...off the cuff...Just to wind people up ?

Jackanory !

'More like, your constantly ****ing on your shoes, because your too busy checking out the next urinal ?'.

Jealousy is a greater driver, but poor motive !

Mel....

[flatrock]

Yeah half wind up / half serious! But on a serious note until some of our species ie bass and cod receive the same protection as salmon & seatrout sea anglers are never going to be on a level with salmon anglers and always be regarded as a ragbag army of anglers :what:

[InCodweTrust]

Yeah half wind up / half serious! But on a serious note until some of our species ie bass and cod receive the same protection as salmon & seatrout sea anglers are never going to be on a level with salmon anglers and always be regarded as a ragbag army of anglers :what:

So the jealousy is real.... why ?
Do you honestly think...taking, P*ss Poor, cheap shots at salmon anglers is the way to go ?
Just think if the 2 million ish anglers in this country spoke with one voice.....the politicians would be falling in front of them... and we could dictate what happens to our sport !
People like your self, are the reason, so many good people...who spend their time and efforts, to organise, and run, things in the fishing scene, give up in disgust!
The 'Ragbag Army'....is total b*lls, especially when you look at the N.E. match scene, their are good people doing some seriously good work for little thanks, and even less reward !
Sad thing is it will never be allowed to become what it needs to be, as there is a steady supply of 'F*ckwits' sat sniping in the sidelines ?
If you really feel the need to 'Swing your Handbag', why don't you tackle the Scallop trawlers, killing off half the sea bed ??

M....

[drifter]

It is my understanding that the lagoons will be constructed along side the estuaries which will fill up with the incoming tide. The electricity will be generated by turbines when the water is released from the lagoons at the bottom of the tide. A big tide over on our coast is 5.7m but over on the West coast it's often double that number. Theoretically the migratory fish should not be effected by the lagoons as they will continue to run in the main water course, that said, it's not uncommon for Salmon and Sea Trout to make their way into Royal Quays marina when the Tyne is running above it's normal level.

[InCodweTrust]

It is my understanding that the lagoons will be constructed along side the estuaries which will fill up with the incoming tide. The electricity will be generated by turbines when the water is released from the lagoons at the bottom of the tide. A big tide over on our coast is 5.7m but over on the West coast it's often double that number. Theoretically the migratory fish should not be effected by the lagoons as they will continue to run in the main water course, that said, it's not uncommon for Salmon and Sea Trout to make their way into Royal Quays marina when the Tyne is running above it's normal level.

I think there are several proposals on the table, the ones i have seen, detail a 'Unidirectional rotor', which will be driven as the tide is in both ebb, and flood.
The only 'None flow' period will be at the top of the tide cycle. The 'lagoon'ebb period will be greatly extended, as they will control the outward flow to maximise the peak generating period of the turbine. this will be dictated by: the size,(Capacity/Volume.), of the lagoon, The Number/Size/ Efficiency of the turbines employed. You could well be looking at minimal,( Or Negative?), dwell period at the bottom of the tide cycle.
This will impact the enviroment greatly, in many ways. Some will be beneficial, some will not. There will be species that prosper in the 'Lagoons', and those that will not.
The thing is that the impact must be understood. It must be done with care, and controlled, and the voice of 'All Angling' must be heard, play its role as early as possible!
It would make sense to utilise the 'lagoons' for some sort of fish farming ?
If this were Oyster/ Mussel, etc. it would not be of major concern, as they already exist in several estuary systems without problems, but what if this was fish farming, (Salmon, Bass, etc.) ? The major damage created by such operations, on the Aquatic enviroment is well documented, and very concerning.
In principal I am very much in favour of the lagoon proposals,(Anything to break the dependence on Oil,& Gas, that doesn't make you glow in the dark), but the people creating these will be working to margins/returns...that concerns me ?
Unless Angling gets in now...it will be ignored. sidelined ?

M....

[flatrock]

What jealousy? Ive nothing to be jealous about especially salmon and match fishing! I do my own thing fishing and dont follow the sheep! Ps next time your in a urinal watch ur shoes i might p*ss on them! end!

[smig]

Replacing nuclear , gas and fossil fuelled power stations with wind and tidal generators is an impossible pipe dream although a man made fishing platform 2 miles out at sea does seem appealing

[Philthebag]

Makes me laugh all these posts on save our coastline save our rivers, the only thing our government cares about is save ourselves and save our wealth, what are the angling voices going to say when Dr Einstein shows details diagrams with proven maths on the effect it will have on the fish species, and what effect the new way of getting energy will do to the world???! Excuse me mate we fish here and kill these fish we are trying to protect, for sport and financial gain, but we let them breed so there is more for us to kill, give your head a shake and get off your soap box no hobby will ever get in the way of energy sourcing projects.

[InCodweTrust]

Replacing nuclear , gas and fossil fuelled power stations with wind and tidal generators is an impossible pipe dream although a man made fishing platform 2 miles out at sea does seem appealing

Totally agree...Until the mass energy storage problem is solved, none of the renewables can react quickly enough to meet near instataneous peaks in energy demand.
Would it not be good though, if it could be harnessed to work in conjunction with the fossil / nuclear generation infastructure ? It is possible with the right will, it was only 70 years after the Wright Bros....We were walking on the moon?
There is a base level role renewables could be playing, they are now to some extent .
If renewables had, recieved anywhere near the development funding nuclear has had, and still gets, it would be a lot more advanced than it is ?
The large investment Hitachi, Siemens, are putting in now suggests it may be more viable in the future, I hope so !

m....