Gerrans Bay Seaweed Farm

[zoidberg]

It is reported that a License application is in front of the MMO seeking consent for a 110-hectare seaweed farm in Gerrans Bay, south of Falmouth Harbour. Local inshore fishing communities are up in arms about this 'privitisation' of their traditional sea-fishing waters. It seems the species of seaweed intended is a 'foreign and invasive' species, and it is also likely the intended farm would constitute a Hazard To Navigation. Many smallcraft transit those waters, including no doubt many readers here.

Porthscatho seems to be the current centre of resistance.

"There may be trouble ahead...."

 

[Binnacle]

Is anyone putting up a petition ?


Petitions - UK Government and Parliament

 

[jdc]

A bit pedantic perhaps, but Gerrans Bay is East of Falmouth (in fact it's a bit N): it's round St Anthony Head and then NNE a couple of miles.



It's not that much frequented by yachts, being off the path which we mostly take which is direct to pass S of Dodman or, less frequently, between Nare Head and Gull Rock, passing well S of Gerrans bay. Such pleasure traffic as there is is mainly water ski boats as far as I can tell, which is probably why much of Porthcatho itself is protected for swimming with yellow floats (I live not far from there; my wife goes swimming at Pothcurnick beach most weeks of the year, and I'm partial to a pint in the Plume of Feathers...)

So while I have no axe to grind about the pros and cons of the proposed seaweed farm, and I'm wholly sympathetic to the local inshore fishing boats, I doubt that yachtsmen can claim they'll be terribly affected. The mussel farms in Porthallow and in St Austell bay are much more of a hazard, and even those are pretty easily avoided and the anchorages inshore of them are still available. BTW, 110 Ha is < 0.6 nautical miles square, so not a large proportion of Gerrans Bay, the seabed of which is mostly sand and broken shells, so depending on the exact site probably wont occupy the best locations for crab and lobster potting. I'd be interested to know if the sea bed fauna would actually benefit form a seaweed farm (a no take zone?) or be smothered / damaged by one. Last October I was anchored inshore of the mussel farm at Porthallow when blue-fin Tuna started jumping clear of the water, presumably after mackerel, so that farm at least doesn't seem to have an immediately negative impact on fish (it was quite a sight, there were perhaps 10 of them, and they're huge!)

 

[Chiara’s slave]

They’re welcome to harvest from the bottom of my boat.

 

[Mark-1]

Last October I was anchored inshore of the mussel farm at Porthallow when blue-fin Tuna started jumping clear of the water, presumably after mackerel,

I had no idea there were Tuna in UK waters.

 

[jdc]

I had no idea there were Tuna in UK waters.

They returned about 5 years ago (probably earlier). Loads of anglers now go after them! One such local guy - whose YouTube channel is quite entertaining; he catches more and better fish in a 30 min video then I've done all my life - can be seen on

 

[Stemar]

It isn't my back yard, so I've no axe to grind, but I like the idea of seaweed farming as a green way to produce whatever they make from seaweed.

What does concern me is the comment that they'll be using a 'foreign and invasive' species. If true, it' an utterly daft idea, because it WILL spread. A quick google didn't give me the species, so can anyone confirm what it is, and if it is 'foreign and invasive', or if that's just hype?

 

[Mark-1]

It isn't my back yard, so I've no axe to grind, but I like the idea of seaweed farming as a green way to produce whatever they make from seaweed.

What does concern me is the comment that they'll be using a 'foreign and invasive' species. If true, it' an utterly daft idea, because it WILL spread. A quick google didn't give me the species, so can anyone confirm what it is, and if it is 'foreign and invasive', or if that's just hype?

Good spot - BBC say it's "Sugar Kelp" and I can find no mention it it will be a non-native species:

Anger over plans for seaweed farm off Cornwall coast

Obviously, that's not conclusive.

 

[Stemar]

"Sugar kelp is a common kelp seaweed found in shallow seas around our coasts. It grows attached to rocky seabeds using root-like holdfasts. It grows at depths up to 30m and are found mainly on sheltered shores, including in deep rockpools."
Sugar kelp | The Wildlife Trusts

A distribution map here shows it's widespread along the UK S & W coasts, so 'foreign and invasive' isn't just hype, it's total bollocks, as bad as boats destroying seagrass and killing seahorses in Studland Bay.

On that basis, good luck to 'em says I. I'm not going to say I wouldn't be a nimby if the circumstances were right, but most of the objections seem to be pure nimbyism.

 

[Mark-1]

"Sugar kelp is a common kelp seaweed found in shallow seas around our coasts. It grows attached to rocky seabeds using root-like holdfasts. It grows at depths up to 30m and are found mainly on sheltered shores, including in deep rockpools."
Sugar kelp | The Wildlife Trusts

A distribution map here shows it's widespread along the UK S & W coasts, so 'foreign and invasive' isn't just hype, it's total bollocks, as bad as boats destroying seagrass and killing seahorses in Studland Bay.

On that basis, good luck to 'em says I. I'm not going to say I wouldn't be a nimby if the circumstances were right, but most of the objections seem to be pure nimbyism.

I suppose the balance is some people's desire to fish commercially and run sailing races against someone else's desire to grow kelp commercially. Not sure where I stand on that but I know what I'd think if I was local.

Whoever has the strongest case, (probably) false claims about non-native species don't help at all.

 

[Stemar]

Damage to commercial fishing is a valid argument; I'm a lot less sure about sailing races. "You can't create employment here and bring money into the community because we want to go racing" isn't going to go down well as an argument.

Yacht racing is a leisure activity for well-off people, that's the perception outside the sport. Yes, I know there are plenty of not so well off sailors - I'm one of them, but but if I were struggling to pay the bills, the boat would be high on the list of things to do without, so I can't be that poor.

 

[mainsail1]

110 hectare is a very large area. The size of over 130 football pitches. Is it reasonable to allow any one outfit to take over an area of public sea that large?

 

[Sandy]

They returned about 5 years ago (probably earlier). Loads of anglers now go after them! One such local guy - whose YouTube channel is quite entertaining; he catches more and better fish in a 30 min video then I've done all my life - can be seen on

And a very nice chap. I bumped into him on the Garman stand at the Southampton Boat Show 2023.

I follow his channel on YouTube, but am rubbish at fishing.

 

[Sandy]

110 hectare is a very large area. The size of over 130 football pitches. Is it reasonable to allow any one outfit to take over an area of public sea that large?

Think about windfarms and oil rigs.

I have no problem with a seaweed farm, as for the idea that something is being privatised, well we all know how the Cornish voted in that thing that happened in 2016.

 

[mainsail1]

Think about windfarms and oil rigs.

I have no problem with a seaweed farm, as for the idea that something is being privatised, well we all know how the Cornish voted in that thing that happened in 2016.

Don't get me started on wind farms or oil rigs. The difference is that you can navigate through them but this seaweed farm will have thousands of buoys (press report) so the entire area is a no go for others to enjoy or use.

 

[rotrax]

Don't get me started on wind farms or oil rigs. The difference is that you can navigate through them but this seaweed farm will have thousands of buoys (press report) so the entire area is a no go for others to enjoy or use.

So it will be well marked and you will be able to navigate around it.

NZ has thousands of Mussel Farms, some very extensive. Boaters live quite happily with them.

In fact, if you want a Snapper for dinner, you just drop your line near a mussel farm. The bigger smappers have very worn teeth through crushing mussel shells...............................................

 

[Mark-1]

NZ has thousands of Mussel Farms, some very extensive. Boaters live quite happily with them.

NZ has a miniscule population density compared to the UK. There just isn't the same level of competition for every bit of space. There are at least three groups who all want to use this bay. I'm pretty sure NZ can fit things in without interfering with existing activities.

If we fenced off Hyde Park and ploughed it to grow food I'm sure people would complain. Maybe that's the right thing to do but let's not pretend we can't see the problem.

 

[rotrax]

NZ is disputing with Finland for the highest per capita boat ownership in the world, so not so insignificant as you suggest. The Coramandel Penisular is alive with boats, and large mussel farms. I know, I have visited many times and have been angling there.

I am very familiar with Gerrans Bay, have often picked up a visitors buoy or anchored off Portscatho.

As it says in the OP, Gerrans bay is mostly bypassed and little used by Yachtsmen. Apart from some lovely bays and anchorages and the large Gull Rock, there is little else of note to the boater. No 'apres sail' unless you take to the dinghy and visit the Plume of Feathers, the Portscatho Sailing Club or another village pub.

A Kelp farm may be just what is needed in these days of climate change-Kelp absorbs amazing amounts of CO2.

IMHO, of course.

 

[Mark-1]

As it says in the OP, Gerrans bay is mostly bypassed and little used by Yachtsmen. Apart from some lovely bays and anchorages and the large Gull Rock, there is little else of note to the boater. No 'apres sail' unless you take to the dinghy and visit the Plume of Feathers, the Portscatho Sailing Club or another village pub.

Local dinghy sailors and local fishermen think it *will* have an impact on their use of the bay. Maybe the case for the kelp is stronger, but let's not deny the problem.is there.

 

[lustyd]

Kelp farm may be just what is needed in these days of climate change-Kelp absorbs amazing amounts of CO2

Growing things is a bad way to combat CO2. Yes, the plants absorb CO2 but then when they die bacteria turn them into methane which is 1000x worse as a greenhouse gas. Studies have shown that even rainforests have a net negative effect on the atmosphere. The way to combat CO2, the only way, is to stop releasing new CO2 from coal and oil.