The coastline of Northern Ireland is being neglected and poorly managed – warned a top coastal expert today.

Professor Andrew Cooper, Head of the Coastal Research Centre at UU, has called for suitable structures to be put in place that will integrate the protection of the coastline here, and improve the way it is looked after.

“There is no strategic, co-ordinated view of how the coast of Northern Ireland should be managed, as there is in England and Wales for example,” said Professor Cooper.

“Our coastline is poorly protected at present- it is prone to erosion and neglect. The limited work that is being carried out is divided up between the different sectors so the whole picture is never seen.

“Local authorities do not have the statutory basis for action, nor do they have government policy to guide them in coastal management. In the area of coastal erosion for example, it is unclear which bodies have responsibility for which actions. There is widespread uncertainty for who should be doing what, and as a result very little is actually being done.

“We urgently need some type of strategic shoreline management plan as has been established in other parts of the British Isles.”

Professor Cooper was speaking at the launch of a new European project on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). The University of Ulster will be key contributors to the Corepoint project, which will identify and rectify the problems that exist in relation to ICZM at local authority level across the northwest of Europe.

The Centre for Coastal Research will be carrying out research, identifying good and bad practice and running practical workshops for officials involved in coastal zone management.

“Through this project, we hope to make a solid contribution to the goal of developing integrated coastal zone management in Northern Ireland,” added Professor Cooper.

For further information, please contact:

Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter