Description

In April 2003, the British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA) and English Heritage (EH) jointly published Marine Aggregate Dredging and the Historic Environment: Guidance Note. The Guidance Note sets out the character and importance of the marine historic environment and describes best practice in dealing with archaeological matters in the course of planning marine aggregate dredging in English marine waters.
It includes details of measures to mitigate the effect of marine aggregate dredging on the historic environment, including the implementation of protocols to report and deal with finds made in the course of dredging.
Protocols for reporting archaeological finds emerged as a mitigation option as it became apparent that watching-briefs by archaeologists, either on board dredging vessels or at wharves, were likely to prove ineffective because of the scale and character of the dredging process. Protocols provide the structure and basis for the formal reporting required as part of the conditions attached to dredging permissions. Protocols are intended to provide a 'safety net' for reporting finds that occur once dredging is in progress, and are in addition to measures to avoid areas of archaeological sensitivity through desk-based assessment and field evaluation.
Such protocols have previously formed part of the mitigation strategy set out in several Environmental Statements for individual dredging licence applications. However, BMAPA recognised that it would be more consistent and effective to introduce a single, unifying protocol and in August 2005 BMAPA and EH introduced a protocol applicable to all BMAPA members, covering all wharves, vessels and production licence areas.
The Protocol was prepared by Wessex Archaeology (WA) in consultation with BMAPA, EH and other interested parties. BMAPA member companies have voluntarily committed to implementing the Protocol across all existing operations. It is hoped that non-BMAPA companies will also adopt the Protocol voluntarily.