Anchoring in Studland

rickp

rickp

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Can I suggest that folks have their say here about the proposal to ban anchoring in Studland. Its also worth looking at their other proposals too, in case they affect your boating.

In the case of Studland, venture over to this thread to get some views on the subject.

Irritatingly, this is only part of the process - we also need to give our views to the relevant regional group.
 
Thanks for that, rickp. I've given them the benefit of my opinion:eek:
 
Just been to the site and voted no on the basis that the area is too big also.

Have a look at the other proposed areas on the MCP site - they also plan to make the whole of Worbarrow Bay a protected site - disaster as its my favourite spot to spend a quiet day. Looks like we'll all have to visit all of the proposed sites and air our views. Hopefully they will be taken aboard.
 
I have never been to Studland but I did go to the drop in for Finding Sanctuary in Exmouth today. Very interesting and IMHO long overdue to restrict some of the rape of our seabeds by scallop dredgers. But balance is needed and I would suggest that any/everyone who uses Studland makes their opinion known to FS as I suspect that Studland may be high on their list of areas needing protection. Eelgrass was one of the categories mentioned specifically. And to the best of my knowledge there aren't many eelgrass areas around.
 
longjohnsilver said:
I have never been to Studland but I did go to the drop in for Finding Sanctuary in Exmouth today. Very interesting and IMHO long overdue to restrict some of the rape of our seabeds by scallop dredgers. But balance is needed and I would suggest that any/everyone who uses Studland makes their opinion known to FS as I suspect that Studland may be high on their list of areas needing protection. Eelgrass was one of the categories mentioned specifically. And to the best of my knowledge there aren't many eelgrass areas around.
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Yes, its good to see something done about dredging and the general destruction of the seabed.

Glad you went along to the FS drop-in day. The point I've made to them is that by holding the drop-in days in the SW, they are ignoring many views from people outside their area. They have said they hope to be at the London Boatshow, which will be useful if they are.

You're also spot on with the eelgrass and studland. I think our friend ST44 has got his message across and we have a battle on our hands to make sure that a) we're heard and b) they get some balance to the views their hearing.

The MCP web site is a start, but not the end - we need to keep talking to 'Finding Sanctuary' (SW), 'Balanced Seas' (SE), and the other organisations that are heading the 'consultation'
 
Whenever I anchor in the bay I drop my hook in the 'bald' patches of sand. The water is usually shallow and clear where i anchor so little disturbance is caused by my short chain.
 
strakeryrius said:
Just been to the site and voted no on the basis that the area is too big also.

Have a look at the other proposed areas on the MCP site - they also plan to make the whole of Worbarrow Bay a protected site - disaster as its my favourite spot to spend a quiet day. Looks like we'll all have to visit all of the proposed sites and air our views. Hopefully they will be taken aboard.
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Yes I saw that too on Worbarrow Bay but there was also a reference to permitted anchoring in certain areas so I take that to mean that those areas are inside the conservation area rather than outside. If anchoring is prohibited inside the conservation area then Worbarrow Bay is no longer an anchorage and that proposal would have to be fought vigorously too.
The reason for making Worbarrow Bay a conservation area seems even more tenuous than Studland ie 'a great opportunity to study the effects of marine reserves in an area'. If they want to do that, then go and identify another area to study which is not a recognised anchorage
It seems to me that the hidden agenda here is to eventually ban all forms of boating from certain areas. You can bet that once these conservation areas are in place, 'research' will prove that the marine habitat has improved in these areas and then there'll be further clamour to extend the conservation areas and more rigorously police them. The nanny state will have control over another aspect of our lives. We must fight our corner
 
Deleted User said:
Yes I saw that too on Worbarrow Bay but there was also a reference to permitted anchoring in certain areas so I take that to mean that those areas are inside the conservation area rather than outside. If anchoring is prohibited inside the conservation area then Worbarrow Bay is no longer an anchorage and that proposal would have to be fought vigorously too.
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The Warbarrow one says "Anchoring could be permitted in the restricted zones indicated on the chart."

That doesn't reassure me that the base assumption is that anchoring will be allowed. It rather gives the impression that they'll consider it after the fact.

The reason for making Worbarrow Bay a conservation area seems even more tenuous than Studland ie 'a great opportunity to study the effects of marine reserves in an area'. If they want to do that, then go and identify another area to study which is not a recognised anchorage
It seems to me that the hidden agenda here is to eventually ban all forms of boating from certain areas. You can bet that once these conservation areas are in place, 'research' will prove that the marine habitat has improved in these areas and then there'll be further clamour to extend the conservation areas and more rigorously police them. The nanny state will have control over another aspect of our lives. We must fight our corner
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They say:

Full protection for the bay would provide a great opportunity to study the effects of marine reserves in an area which already has voluntary protection measures in place.
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So voluntary measures are in place, but they want to introduce mandatory measures to see what additional effect that has?

You get the impression that they're just writing words as they think no-one will read them.
 
How about putting together a general campaigne to install some permanent buoys in these areas.
In a similar manner to the ones that are now turning up in the Balearics.

Funding would be a stumbling block but I imagine that there would be costs associated with policing a no anchoring zone anyway. But maybe it would be possible to charge for overnight moorings toi recover the cost of maintaining them - even book them online, again like you do in the Med.

I'm sure that most on these forums would be happy to pay rather than to loose it.

It would need an enthusiatic individual to drive a campaigne like this though.
 
Hurricane said:
How about putting together a general campaigne to install some permanent buoys in these areas.
In a similar manner to the ones that are now turning up in the Balearics.

Funding would be a stumbling block but I imagine that there would be costs associated with policing a no anchoring zone anyway. But maybe it would be possible to charge for overnight moorings toi recover the cost of maintaining them - even book them online, again like you do in the Med.

I'm sure that most on these forums would be happy to pay rather than to loose it.

It would need an enthusiatic individual to drive a campaigne like this though.
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It was already suggested - but some forumites rejected it 'cos they didn't want to pay where they can anchor for free, and the seahorse lot rejected it because they claim the mooring chains for the buoys scour the seabed.

You'd think that the Seahorse Trust would provide free moorings (of a type acceptable to them) in return for a bit of tin shaking (a job for ST44 after his dives perhaps). I can't see anyone objecting, especially if it was restricted to a reasonable area with anchoring allowed outside that. But their whole approach to the situation has been very badly managed. By ranting on here about banning anchoring, they've alienated all support and no doubt lost a golden opportunity to get more funding.

As I see it, if we don't go on the offensive now, we'll end up with the restrictions that ST44 and the Seahorse trust want rather than a balanced approach giving protection whilst maintaining access for all - which is the point of the 'Marine and Coastal Access Act' after all. Hopefully the Finding Sanctuary lot will come up with some middle ground, but its not at all clear what powers the Marine Conservation Zones will have. Perhaps they could mandate no-anchoring, but insist that free mooring is provided in return for the loss of anchoring?
 
You also get the impression that the people who are promoting these conservation areas stand on the shore, look to see wherever boats are anchored and say to themselves we don't want those nasty smelly polluting things there so lets make that spot a conservation area. Anyway if the MMGW zealots are to be believed, the weather is going to get so windy in the future that these anchorages will be unuseable anyway:)
 
Hurricane said:
How about putting together a general campaigne to install some permanent buoys in these areas.
In a similar manner to the ones that are now turning up in the Balearics.

Funding would be a stumbling block but I imagine that there would be costs associated with policing a no anchoring zone anyway. But maybe it would be possible to charge for overnight moorings toi recover the cost of maintaining them - even book them online, again like you do in the Med.

I'm sure that most on these forums would be happy to pay rather than to loose it.

It would need an enthusiatic individual to drive a campaigne like this though.
Click to expand...

Conservation areas in the Balearics seem to be managed sensibly. As you say, most conservation areas have buoys which can be booked online and are reasonably priced. In fact I seek them out rather than anchor. Some areas are closed altogether in order to allow the sea bed to recover but are then opened up again a few years later. An example of this is Cala Gran, first cala on the starboard side as you go into Cala d'Or marina. When we first visited Cala d'Or by boat back in 2003, this cala was closed but now it's open again and without anchoring restrictions. I don't think any boater could object to this kind of regime but, of course, you can bet that UK conservation areas will not be managed in the same sensible way
 
I note they also include "mooring" in the proposed ban, which seems to preclude the possibility of laying permanent moorings in the area, which would have far less impact on the magic seaweed.

From the website - "If anchoring and mooring were only allowed to the north of this site ...."
 
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Flipping heck, just had a look at the string of sites they have listed in the South East. They're proposing two sites that I've regularly used, including this huge area Seven Sisters. Many boats anchor in Cuckmere Haven which is within the zone, and there is nothing exceptional about much of that area at all; it's the cliffs that famous and pretty!

I can't find definitions of what is/isn't allowed in the core and buffer zones; is there a page that defines these?

Having read through read through quite a few of their 'observations' and 'what differences would conservation make' they all seem very subjective and based on naff all facts.
 
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