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The Earl of Shaftesbury, who lives in Dorset, "inherited" the bed of Lough Neagh. For every ton of sand extracted he receives a royalty and has over the years amassed huge profits from unlawful extraction in this Area of Special Scientific Interest https://www.vanityfair.com/style/photos/2016/07/the-earl-of-shaftesburys-stunning-estate
On 16 August 2015 the Sunday Times ran an article: "Earl of Extraction harms wildlife on protected lake" @Jonathan__Leake
In any given year up to 1.8 million tons of sand is suction dredged from the bed of Lough Neagh permanently stealing this ecosystem. Most of the sand is made into concrete.
1.8 million tons of this wildlife habitat removed in one year represents an unfathomable amount of damage.
1.8 million tons of this wildlife habitat removed in one year represents an unfathomable amount of damage.
The sand is a finite resource and the Lough bed is far from inert. In fact it was a thriving ecosystem. It still supports the biggest inland fishery in Europe & a food source for what was the biggest population (up to the 1980s) of overwintering birds anywhere on these islands
