oldharry
Well-known member
Studland Villagers do not want the Bay covered in extra mooring buoys on aesthetic grounds. Dorset Wildlife Trust says that 68% of Boat owners they asked in Studland say they would prefer to tie up to a buoy.
BORG objects to the pseudo science being used to 'prove' that boats damage eelgrass, but has no objection to more moorings being provided for visitors. Three years ago we brokered a scheme to lay between 30 and 50 EFMs which would satisfy Natural England and even the Seahorse Trust. However the practicalities were way beyond anything BORG could handle. In deference to our colleagues at Studland who later decided that they did not want ANY more moorings, I dropped the idea.
However new developments this week suggest that our original suggestion might provide a way forward, although the funding/management issues remain unresolved for the moment.
We now need a consensus opinion: If visitor moorings were provided at Studland at a fair 'going rate', would you prefer to use them rather than use your own ground tackle for free? This assumes that a) they are properly laid and maintained by a mooring contractor and are therefore safe to use and b) the political aspects of conservation have been resolved, and c) the option of anchoring in the bay remains freely open to all.
EDIT: apologies, it timed out while I was still working out how to set up the poll
Responding to below: I do not know the 'going rate ' for taking a visitors mooring (I always use my own anchor) . BORG is the Boat Owners Response Group, set up to challenge the deeply flawed science and assumptions being pedelled by conservation groups, so as to ensure where restrictions affect our sport, they will be realistic and effective. EFM's are Eco Friendly Moorings - a type of ground tackle which works by ensuring that mooring tackle remains clear of the seabed except where it is attached usually by a large screw. The purpose is to ensure that the tackle causes minimum disturbance to fragile environments. sounds good, but tests in UK suggest existing designs do not work well over here for various reasons. There are reports of up to 70% fail rate of the American design favoured by natural England. It is also questionable whether any of the standard designs will actually work in the shallow waters round Studland. Most need a minimum depth in order to keep the groud tackle clear of the seabed.
Will have another go at posting the poll later, as have run out of time just now!
BORG objects to the pseudo science being used to 'prove' that boats damage eelgrass, but has no objection to more moorings being provided for visitors. Three years ago we brokered a scheme to lay between 30 and 50 EFMs which would satisfy Natural England and even the Seahorse Trust. However the practicalities were way beyond anything BORG could handle. In deference to our colleagues at Studland who later decided that they did not want ANY more moorings, I dropped the idea.
However new developments this week suggest that our original suggestion might provide a way forward, although the funding/management issues remain unresolved for the moment.
We now need a consensus opinion: If visitor moorings were provided at Studland at a fair 'going rate', would you prefer to use them rather than use your own ground tackle for free? This assumes that a) they are properly laid and maintained by a mooring contractor and are therefore safe to use and b) the political aspects of conservation have been resolved, and c) the option of anchoring in the bay remains freely open to all.
EDIT: apologies, it timed out while I was still working out how to set up the poll
Responding to below: I do not know the 'going rate ' for taking a visitors mooring (I always use my own anchor) . BORG is the Boat Owners Response Group, set up to challenge the deeply flawed science and assumptions being pedelled by conservation groups, so as to ensure where restrictions affect our sport, they will be realistic and effective. EFM's are Eco Friendly Moorings - a type of ground tackle which works by ensuring that mooring tackle remains clear of the seabed except where it is attached usually by a large screw. The purpose is to ensure that the tackle causes minimum disturbance to fragile environments. sounds good, but tests in UK suggest existing designs do not work well over here for various reasons. There are reports of up to 70% fail rate of the American design favoured by natural England. It is also questionable whether any of the standard designs will actually work in the shallow waters round Studland. Most need a minimum depth in order to keep the groud tackle clear of the seabed.
Will have another go at posting the poll later, as have run out of time just now!
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