Change of plan for shipwreck reef site off Portland

Objections from the military have prompted project leaders to rethink a plan to sink a warship off Portland and create a new diving reef.

They have been forced to identify a new area of seabed for their underwater sanctuary after a preferred site in Balaclava Bay was blocked by the MoD because it would affect a training area.

Wreck to Reef (W2R) project co-ordinator Neville Copperthwaite insisted the scheme was not dead in the water as a new site had been found south of Ringstead Bay, following discussions with the Crown Estate. The zone is around the same size of 1km by 1km and although less sheltered it is deeper.

Initial findings from a survey of the new site indicate an artificial reef would not affect any marine life and in fact would probably help to boost flora and fauna...[Link]