An artificial reef, which could bring lost marine life back to barren British harbours, is being tested by scientists at the University of Southampton, it emerged yesterday.
The reef may also help conservationists to restore dead stretches of coastline damaged by years of overfishing, development and pollution back into thriving marine habitats.
Work on constructing a 100-square metre bed of the experimental reef, made from from pulverized potash and gypsum set in concrete, has begun at Western Poole Bay in Dorset.
Six-month laboratory tests and trials in Southampton Water have shown blocks, made from these materials, attract and become colonized by marine life.
The team, from the university's department of oceanography, are now attempting to see how well an extended reef matches up in a natural marine world.
It has the backing of local fishermen, Harbour Commissioners and the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Foods, which has licensed the reef materials. Western Poole Harbour has been chosen as the pilot bay for field trials because the area of sandy bed, on which the reef is being laid to a depth of 12 metres, is almost bereft of marine life.
Scientists expect to prove the reef's worth in promoting fish and shellfish stocks, including crabs and lobsters.
The project could also prove an environmentally attractive money spinner for the National Power and PowerGen Divisions of the Central Electricity Generating Board, which is sponsoring the scheme.
Plans to fit flue gas desulphurization units to coal-fired power stations in an attempt to cut sulphur dioxide emissions into the atmosphere could produce half a million tonnes of gypsum annually from such stations.
The modified generators could also produce a million tones of pulverized potash annually.
Although the companies hope to market much of these excess by-products to the construction industry, officials hope schemes, including the building of artificial reefs could soak up what's left.
The Poole Harbour project, which will use 50 tonnes of marine life enhancing blocks, will run for two years.
The Southampton marine biologists, in co-operation with scientists from the Fawley Power Station's ecology unit, will be assessing the reef for stability and its effects on marine life.
A spokesman for National Power in Bristol said if the project proved a success it could become a blueprint for similar reefs along other parts of the British coastline.
Southampton's Dr Antony Jensen said yesterday that the artificial reef could also help in areas of the world where development pressures and bounty hunters are decimating the world's precious tropical coral reefs.
"In tropical waters the rock would provide a substrate for animal and plant life-possibly for even some coral species to colonise", he said.
