Written question asked by Michael Tomlinson (Conservative) on Tuesday, 26 January 2016, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 28 January 2016. It was answered by Rory Stewart (Conservative) on Friday, 29 January 2016 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Algae: Poole Harbour

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government will (a) fund or (b) conduct algal harvesting in order to improve water quality in Poole Harbour.

Answer: To improve the water quality in Poole Harbour, the Environment Agency focuses on improving nutrient and soil management efficiency of surrounding farmland rather than funding algal harvesting. A feasibility study commissioned by the Environment Agency has concluded that algal harvesting in Poole Harbour would have little material impact on the water quality in the harbour and that the harvesting process may have a detrimental impact on the bird population, with the costs outweighing the benefits.

Secondary information