Oil firm to pay £6.1m after Poole Harbour spill damaged protected wildlife habitats
Millions will be spent putting right the damage done to Poole Harbour after the major oil spill in 2023
An oil company responsible for a major spill in Dorset has agreed to pay £6.1 million to repair environmental damage and support wildlife recovery projects in and around one of the UK’s most important natural harbours.
The settlement, secured by the Environment Agency, requires Perenco UK Ltd to fund environmental restoration and community projects following the 2023 pollution incident at Poole Harbour.
The spill occurred in March 2023 after the company discovered oil leaking from a pipeline at Ower Bay.
The pipe, which carried a mixture of oil and water, ruptured after a section corroded more quickly than expected and as a result, a significant amount of oil entered Poole Harbour, an internationally important site for wildlife.
Tom Fowler, an Environment Agency officer, said the agreement would ensure the damage is addressed in a way that benefits both wildlife and local communities.
“This commitment allows Perenco to put things right in a way that directly benefits the environment and local communities,” he said. “We are pleased that the money will go towards worthwhile wildlife initiatives and the local harbour.”
The £6.1 million package includes £2.6 million spent on the initial emergency response, £2.4 million on clean-up operations and £115,000 on ecological surveys to assess environmental damage.
A further £620,000 has been paid directly to affected businesses, including commercial seafood beds that were forced to close during the early stages of the pollution investigation.
Conservation organisations say the funding will help restore fragile ecosystems around the harbour.
Brian Bleese, chief executive of Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “Poole Harbour is one of the UK’s most important places for wildlife and people.”
The charity plans to use the funding to support conservation projects aimed at improving water quality, restoring wetlands and supporting nature’s recovery across the harbour and its wider catchment.
Sandy Becker, founder of Wild Bird Rescue Dorset, said the funding would help improve facilities for injured birds and strengthen the group’s long-term work.
The Environment Agency said it accepted Perenco’s proposal in part because of the substantial sums already spent by the company on clean-up efforts and new measures designed to prevent a similar incident in future.