Strategic Regional Coastal Monitoring Programmes
Channel Coast Observatory: contribution (2002-present day)
Probably the most significant of the coastal research activities in recent years has been the establishment of the National Network of Regional Coastal Monitoring Programmes, for which the Southern Coastal Group and SCOPAC have been influential.
The Southeast programme started in 2002 and the Southwest programme followed in 2006, followed by Anglia, East Riding, the Northeast and the Northwest, all receiving approval from Defra to ensure a nationally consistent approach to coastal monitoring. The project has since gone on to host data for The Welsh Coastal Monitoring Centre.
The programmes are funded by Defra and a specialist team has been established at the Channel Coastal Observatory within the National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton, to manage the programme and develop the data analysis, storage and dissemination procedures. Significant advances have been made in data collection and management as a result of this long-term programme.
With the regional monitoring programme data underpinning all levels of coastal management, the Southern Coastal Group and SCOPAC has set up an ‘Improved Utilisation of Data award’ to demonstrate support to the programme.
For further information and freely available data from the survey and analysis programmes, visit the Channel Coast Observatory website: coastalmonitoring.org
