CHARM-offensive to help manage English Channel ecosystem

Working with three French partners – Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale, Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer and Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille – the project, CHARM 2, will result in a dynamic source of information on this unique stretch of water for use by environmentalists, commercial organisations, academics and regulators on both sides of the Channel.

Project leader Stuart Harrop, Kent’s Professor of Wildlife Management Law, said ‘This particular marine environment constitutes a unique resource for supporting tourism, international ports, shipping and fisheries. It is also a major source of gravel and sand. CHARM 2 will establish a resource to support the work of those who need to monitor the health of this crucial ecosystem together with its resources.’

The project builds on the initial work carried out by the Anglo-French team that resulted in the production of a 200+ page colour atlas of marine resources and habitats of the Eastern English Channel.

This second phase has received funding of £837,406 under the European Interreg IIIA programme and will be of major significance worldwide as it will provide a model for use in comparable areas.

CHARM 2 is one of the many cross-Channel initiatives at the University of Kent which has a reputation for its innovative approach in this area. For further information on the project vistit http://charm.canterbury.ac.uk/