An appeal has been launched to track down the owners of more than 100 boats that have been left abandoned for several years.
The Marine Management Organisation and Natural England have raised concerns that about the large number of boats, dinghies, trailers and marine items that have been deserted at Banks Road slipway on the Heswall shore. Many of the boats are in serious disrepair and have the potential to cause safety and environmental hazards through pollutants such as oil, paints and plastics.
The Dee Estuary is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) and Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its important habitat and bird populations. The Marine Management Organisation and Natural England fear that habitat is being lost due to the space the boats are taking up on the salt marsh, while also being concerned that pollutants such as oil, paints and plastics breaking down at the shore could injure wildlife and have a detrimental effect on the wider habitat.
