Round two of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) has been allocated to the Marine Environment Protection Fund (MEPF) for further work specifically related to the marine environment and aggregate extraction. CEFAS has been responsible for distributing this fund to specific areas of research and development. MES have been awarded and are participating in the following projects:MEPF 04/02 Predictive Framework for Assessment of Marine Benthic Communities Following Cessation of Marine Aggregate Extraction An innovative approach for predicting the rate of restoration of benthic communities prior to dredging or other anthropogenic disturbance. This will be achieved through integration of population dynamics, life history traits and multivariate community analysis. MEPF 04/05 Marine ALSF Science Co-ordinator Reporting directly to DEFRA, Dr. Richard Newell has been appointed to co-ordinate all marine related ALSF projects. MEPF 04/01 Eastern English Channel Large Scale Seabed Habitat Mapping Awarded to the British Geological Survey and in collaboration with CEFAS, the JNCC and MESL. MEPF 04/04 Improvements to Predictive Modelling Awarded to ABP Marine Environmental Research Ltd in collaboration with MES.