Harbour up for award

Harbour up for award

9 October 2024

ARDGLASS harbour is in the running for a major award.

It has been shortlisted in this year’s British Ports Association’s Port Sustainability Awards with the winner due to be announced tomorrow.

Harbour master James Lenaghan and the Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority’s environment officer, Jenny Frazer, will be in Portsmouth for the announcement.

Ahead of the winner being unveiled, the British Ports Authority (BPA) described the local harbour’s shortlisting as a “truly a remarkable achievement and a well-deserved recognition of its hard work, innovation and dedication to excellence within the industry”.

It says being recognised at this level “speaks volumes” about the Fishery Harbour Authority’s contributions and the impact it has made contributing to the port and maritime sector.

The BPA said it is clear the Authority’s vision and commitment have set a high standard that others in the industry aspire to and that regardless of the final outcome, being shortlisted alone is a “significant honour” that highlights its outstanding accomplishments.

The Port Sustainability Award will be awarded to one port, harbour, marine facility, or employee that has driven environmental initiatives from reducing emissions, making sustainable changes, or promoting biodiversity and habitats.

The Fishery Harbour Authority says it puts the care for the environment and support for community at the heart of what it does, with its corporate plan one of its strategic outcomes specifically dedicated to the environment.

In the past 18 months, there have been a number of initiatives at Ardglass harbour, including a fishing gear recycling pilot project.

The Authority secured funding for a research project into the processes and capacity to collect and recycle end of life fishing gear. 

Almost three tonnes of fishing netting was segregated at Ardglass harbour and sent to England to be recycled into parts for shoes, while almost another 10 tonnes of fishing gear was processed.

The harbour’s fish market and ice plant use a significant amount of electricity in the summer, with the Authority working towards a goal of Net 0 emissions by 2050. 

Significant progress is being made now with the installation of solar panels on the south facing fish market roof. 

Elsewhere, the harbour’s diesel powered forklift has been replaced with an electric modelin order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, especially affecting the staff who use it. 

In addition, the Authority is on a green energy tariff from its electricity provider, with the change to an electric forklift reducing its carbon emissions. 

To further complement its environmental credentials, the Authority takes local primary children to the shoreline for a beach clean, plus a classroom session on the local environment and marine litter every year. 

And the organisation provides so-called fishing for litter bags and waste disposal services to vessels in Ardglass.

Fourteen vessels are officially registered for the scheme with more taking part in the initiative informally as part of the ongoing project, while a fishing community engagement day is organised annually to raise awareness of the marine litter problem and encourage more vessels to sign up, with information leaflets provided in multiple languages.

The Authority works with fishermen and relevant stakeholders to share information and change behaviours around marine litter and over the past 18 months has organised beach cleans, removing almost 100 kilograms of litter from Ardglass beach. 

Regular clean-ups are also organised with the local community and the village’s primary school, with the removal of litter from along the coastline having a significant impact on local wildlife.

Ardglass harbour also facilitates the annual village festival which welcomes thousands of visitors to  the port and surrounding for five days of events. 

The Harbour Authority says that cumulatively, the various projects have a significant impact on the local and global natural environment, but also on the all important behaviours of its key stakeholders and members of the wider community. 

It says working with partners, including the fishing community, industry bodies, schools and the public, sustainability is more than environmental projects in Ardglass, it is being part of making the harbour community a thriving place that is positive and forward looking.