Detailed report by MMO on proposals for Studland Bay

oldharry

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With yesterdays announcement, MMO produced a lkengthy and highly detailed response to the issues raised during the Public Consultation last Nov-December. Its great to see that BORG is widely quoted at various points, and many of the issues we raise are being taken seriously and are being addressed. The document is in 4 parts and is over 160 pages long. The key part is the Discussion Document which spells out in some detail how they answer the many questions raised during the Consultation

Managing marine non-licensable activities in Studland Bay Marine Conservation Zone.
 

mainsail1

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So, it looks as if they are going to "manage" anchoring. Very disappointing.
No doubt they will place anchoring zones in exposed parts of the bay and make it an unprotected place to be in stronger winds/swell as they won't have a clue about such matters. As sailors know, the right place to anchor each night is variable and dynamic depending on a list of factors.
 

Gary Fox

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If I am obliged to anchor for shelter, wherever I judge it safest, who will come out to my yacht on a mucky night, demand my identity etc on behalf of the kelp under my anchor, (they would need firearms to get it) and would it be a fixed penalty, or summons to a magistrates' court, or Crown Court in front of a jury?
Have the heroic fighters of the Seaweed Liberation Front considered such practical details?
Thanks to the BORG for exposing this nonsense, which belongs in a Monty Python sketch.
 

Stemar

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We'll have to see exactly what the rules say, but if I need shelter in Studland from a life-threatening storm, I'm going to anchor wherever I deem to be safest. I'd be quite happy to argue my case in court - and in the press. "seahorse rules put sailors' lives at risk"

In a small boat it doesn't need to be a bad storm, just an exhausting one
 

oldharry

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As I have said elsewhere, I suspect the genral idea of emergency anchoring is based on a hollywood style black sky, towering waves, with heroic lifeboatmen battling through epic seas, comlete with choir standing on Handfast point singing The Lifeboat hymn .... I have already made strong representatins to MMO about this, and the fact that a) emergencies can happen at any time, b) emergency situations can rapidly escalate out of control if skippers are denied the ability to stop and sort. c) We all know that tiredness can lead to bad decision making and accidnets. Closing the Studland anchorage removes a vital safe refuge on 40 miles of rock bound lee shore.

Safety at sea is dependent on preventitive action being taken in good time, and closing or limiting the Studland anchorage will seriously impair that ability for boats in the vicinity. The local Inshore fishing fleet is already onr ecord saying that lives will be lost if they are denied the shelter Studland provides. MMOs very brief summary of my submission is in Para 1 of P6, and you will see they do not attempt to answer it. But we MUST have an answer, and I will be looking to RYA to support me in this.
 

Gary Fox

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Thank you for representing us oldharry.

(PS Which anchor penetrates seagrass most effectively, perhaps a fisherman's? )
 

chrishscorp

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Anything they decide must, must be done in conjunction with the stakeholders that have responded to the consultation, I am slowly wending my way through the document, before i report back to committee. They talk about holding a stakeholder event, we will see what they come up with in due course.

The reason BORG is mentioned a great deal is that there is so much of the information out there on Studland is down to BORG not NE, MMO or seahorse trust

I need to go through and mark up some key points in their docs, I seem to recollect i read that the MMO for a period of 2 weeks in July last year actively monitored all AIS data for Studland Bay to see how many boats were anchored over the sea grass, they did say that not all boats have AIS so the number would be a fraction of the boats that were there.
 

wizard

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Old Harry - a question.

Are the MAIB involved at all in this consultation (if not why not) as they would carry far more weight than us based on the scenarios they have on record for taking appropiate shelter, avoiding loss of life, vessels etc?
 

oldharry

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Good point Wizard. I've not seen any reference to them, and will take that forward.

Gary Fox, there is work being done on this, though in genral terms plough type are preferred to spade types. Grapnel type are said to be worst, which is as well as very few of us use grapnel hooks!
 
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