In late 2025, Eco Marine completed surveys supporting an Environmental Impact Assessment for the construction of the proposed Bristol Wind Terminal in Avonmouth. Working on behalf of Bristol Port Company, Eco Marine carried out Phase I and Phase II intertidal and subtidal benthic grab characterisation surveys to determine the status of the habitats and epifaunal communities present at the survey area.
The Severn Estuary is an extensive estuarine system that has the third highest tidal range in the world. As such, the study area comprised habitats and faunal communities typical of high suspended sediment and tidal scour environments. Saltmarsh and mudflats dominated much of the intertidal area, including the common cordgrass Spartina anglica, a hybrid of the native small cordgrass Spartina maritama and the naturalised non-native smooth cordgrass Spartina alterinflora.
Following the completion of these ecological surveys, the data has been analysed by the Eco Marine team and presented in an evidence based technical report which describes the intertidal and subtidal biotopes and communities present alongside the distributions of sediment types within the survey area.
Written by Luke Goodall
