Bangor University scientists join £2.1m project investigating the impact of bottom trawling on carbon stored beneath the seabed

A STATE OF THE ART research vessel has set sail from Liverpool to investigate how bottom trawling may affect carbon stored in the seabed of the Irish Sea.

The scientific expedition is part of a £2.1 million research project funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and led by Professor Jan Geert Hiddink of Bangor University.

A team of eighteen scientists has embarked on the RRS Discovery, one of the world’s most advanced research vessels, for a three-and-a-half-week voyage studying the impact of fishing activity on carbon held in seabed sediments.

Before the ship departed, a number of local dignitaries were invited aboard for a tour of the vessel, including Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and National Oceanography Centre Operations Director Natalie Campbell.

Professor Jan Geert Hiddink, from Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences, said bottom-trawl fishing is both vital to global food supply and a major disturbance to seabed environments.

“Bottom-trawl fishing provides around a quarter of global seafood but is also the most extensive physical disturbance caused by human activities to stocks of carbon locked in seabed sediments,” he said.

“This is important because recent evidence suggests that disturbing the seabed could lead to the release of significant amounts of greenhouse gases from the seabed into the atmosphere.

“There are still major uncertainties about how this disturbance affects carbon stored beneath the seabed. As a result, the impact of these disturbances is largely unquantified and currently unregulated.

“The aim of this project is to gain a much clearer understanding of what is happening so that scientists, policymakers and regulators can make informed decisions in the future.”

Seven research organisations are collaborating on the project: Bangor University, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Heriot-Watt University, the University of Leeds, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the University of St Andrews, and Imperial College London.

Caption: Scientists prepare to begin their research aboard the RRS Discovery, one of the world’s most advanced research vessels.

Major investment expected to boost low-carbon industry and create skilled jobs in West Wales

A MAJOR green hydrogen project planned for the Milford Haven Freeport tax site has taken a significant step forward after developers approved the final investment decision.

Energy company MorGen Energy has confirmed it will proceed with the West Wales Hydrogen project, one of the first schemes backed through the UK Government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1) to reach this stage.

The facility will be built within the Milford Haven Tax Site, part of the Celtic Freeport zone covering Pembrokeshire and Neath Port Talbot.

Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with the plant scheduled to become operational in early 2028.

Once completed, the site is expected to produce around 2,000 tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen each year, meeting the UK’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard.

The hydrogen produced will support a range of industries, including port operations, manufacturing and industrial heating, as well as use as a chemical feedstock.

Supporters say the development will help reduce carbon emissions while strengthening Milford Haven’s role in the UK’s emerging hydrogen economy.

The project is also expected to create skilled jobs and provide work for local contractors during the construction phase.

Further expansion may be possible in future phases as demand for hydrogen grows, potentially helping establish Milford Haven as a major hub for low-carbon energy production serving South Wales and beyond.

Luciana Ciubotariu, Chief Executive of Celtic Freeport, said the decision marked another milestone for the region.

She said: “MorGen Energy’s decision is another major step forward for the hydrogen economy in South West Wales.

“Projects like this within the Milford Haven Tax Site show how the Celtic Freeport is accelerating decarbonisation while creating high-value jobs.”

The UK Government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round scheme provides revenue support to help scale up the country’s low-carbon hydrogen sector and bring early projects to market.

POLICE appeal for witnesses after man reportedly attacked by group of eight men near Llanddarog junction

Local officers are investigating an alleged assault that took place on the A48 westbound at the Llanddarog junction, before the Nantycaws turn-off, at around 2:30pm on Saturday (Mar 7).

The incident is reported to have involved eight men who had parked Harley-Davidson motorcycles in a lay-by. The group allegedly assaulted a man who was travelling in a car.

The victim sustained moderate injuries and their vehicle was also damaged during the incident.

Anyone with information, or with private CCTV or dashcam footage showing suspicious activity in the area at the time, is asked to contact police in one of the following ways:

Online: https://orlo.uk/KRjzb
Email: [email protected]
Call: 101

Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111 or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

Please quote reference: DP-20260307-227.