Research conferences

A number of ‘North East Kent coast research conferences’ have been held since 2002. These provide a forum for anyone interested in research, management issues and establishing the sustainable use of our coastal natural resources.

Conferences are organised by the North East Kent Scientific Coastal Advisory Group (NEKSCAG). The conference reports can be downloaded in sections by clicking the “link” to the PDF or alternatively “right click” and select “Save Target As” to save this onto your computer. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read each part of this report.

North East Kent Coastal Research Conference

The next conference date has not been confirmed – Please forward an e-mail to the Thanet Coast Project if you would like to be informed of the next conference details, costs and booking details, whne this becomes available.

North East Kent Coastal Research Conference 25 November 2008

The 2008 conference included the latest scientific research around the North East Kent coast and marine environment on:

  • Marine Protected Areas MAPs – the Eastern Channel ‘Marine conservation Zones’ project
  • The Pegwell Bay – chalk erosion project
  • Effects of Spartina clearance in Pegwell Bay
  • Green algae around Thanet – friend or foe!
  • Reviewing biotopes in Botany Bay
  • Problems with shellfish production in NE Kent
  • Pacific oyster distribution within the inter-tidal zone
  • The Charm2 project – towards an ‘ecosystem approach to managing the local marine area’
  • Metals concentrated within the sediments of Pegwell Bay, and
  • An open group ‘conversation with the sea’ led by a scientist and fisherman – about the state of our fisheries
  • Conference programme (30KB PDF)

The conference presentations and discussion will be compiled within a Natural England Research Report during 2009. This conference was coordinated by NEKSCAG with support from Pfizer Limited, and held at the Pfizer Social Club, near Sandwich, Kent CT13 9QL.

This Conference has never been produced as a Research Report, but draft papers are available – please contact us for further information.

Marine & Coastal Issues for North East Kent 9 November 2006

Natural England Research Report NERR029

Presentations, papers and workshops included:

  • Thanet Coast SAC: intertidal monitoring and condition status
  • Filter feeding crustaceans in the Kentish Stour estuary
  • Life on the edge – the invertebrate fauna of Kent’s soft cliffs
  • Beyond the Sandbanks’ – An introduction to the use of satellite telemetry to monitor the movements of Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) around the Kent coastline
  • Art for Nature’s sake
  • The small business of searching and dredging for cockles in the Thames Estuary; is it sustainable?
  • Riding the waves of PWC management: partnership working in Kent
  • A channel habitat atlas for marine resource management
  • North Kent – Shoreline Management Plan
  • Collecting and managing Kent marine survey data
  • Local Fisheries management and changes in the marine Environment
  • Workshops sessions: a) Implications of collecting from the foreshore; b) A Highly Protected Marine Area; c) Agreeing the Thanet Coast Project’s future work remit; d) Impact analysis – activity v. coastal zone
  • Link to Research Report: NERR029 Current marine and coastal issues for North East Kent: proceedings of the third North East Kent Coastal Conference 9 November 2006

‘Making Connections’ 11 November 2004

English Nature Research Report 630

Proceedings of the North East Kent Coastal Research Conference 22 October 2002

English Nature Research Report 570

  • Part1-NEKentCoastConf(Oct2002) – Introduction, Summary of Workshops, The Thanet Coast
  • Part2-NEKentCoastConf(Oct2002) – Changes in the near-shore biotope at Foreness Point, Margate; The importance of Ostracoda and their relationship with the marine near shore environment
  • Part3-NEKentCoastConf(Oct2002) – Investigation into the macro-algae community of Pegwell Bay, Pegwell Bay: 1994-2001, The effects of human activity on turnstones and other wading birds within the Thanet and Sandwich Bay Special Protection Area (SPA).