Marine ALSF GIS

In 2002 the Government imposed a levy on all primary aggregate production (including marine aggregates) to reflect the environmental cost of winning these materials. A proportion of the revenue generated is used to provide a source of funding for research aimed at minimising the effects of aggregate production. This fund, delivered through Defra, is known as the Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF).

The main aim of the Marine ALSF programme is to promote environmentally friendly aggregate extraction in the marine environment in England or in English waters.

The Marine ALSF is currently administered by The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) under the Marine Environmental Protection Fund (MEPF) and for heritage related projects by English Heritage.

The ALSF Marine GIS database provides access to marine aggregate research project metadata information, data and digital reports. The database can be accessed using text and GIS map-based searches. For an overview of the types of data stored on the database, please see our What Data is available page. Click here to search for aggregate project information. Registered users can also download detailed aggregate research project metadata and digital PDF reports as well as upload information about new marine aggregate research projects. Click here to register.

For more information on the project see About the Marine GIS.

Marine GIS update

Following the end of the ALSF programme on 31 March 2011, the Marine ALSF Steering Group can confirm that all project reports and relevant data sets are available from the Marine GIS data catalogue.

Under current arrangements, the data catalogue will be available until 31 March 2016. Recent uploads to the catalogue include the interpreted data outputs and final reports for the East Coast and Humber RECs and the survey (and where applicable) interpreted data for the historical Outer Bristol Channel and Eastern English Channel projects.