marine conservation

[Bosun Higgs]

Following a thread on Scuttlebut, I thought that BC sailors might like to be made aware of the campaigns going on to give areas conservation status. Some of them dont matter to leisure sailors and indeed you personally might want to support all of them. But if like me you are concerned that anchorages may no longer be available to you, even if you needed them in bad weather, you might like to have a look at the site and register your vote.

There are two areas affecting us devon / cornwall and wales

 

[Coaster]

There are two areas affecting us devon / cornwall and wales

Thank you for drawing attention to this. I have voted in the polls relating to Pembrokeshire.

It's no surprise to see that the default setting on the website is to vote for Marine Protected Area designation. The Marine Conservation Society seems to be yet another empire builder.

May I encourage others to vote?

 

[bluedragon]

Following a thread on Scuttlebut, I thought that BC sailors might like to be made aware of the campaigns going on to give areas conservation status. Some of them dont matter to leisure sailors and indeed you personally might want to support all of them. But if like me you are concerned that anchorages may no longer be available to you, even if you needed them in bad weather, you might like to have a look at the site and register your vote.

There are two areas affecting us devon / cornwall and wales

But what does it actually mean if it's fully protected? The website doesn't make this clear (that I could see). Skomer is already a protected area, but it's no problem for sailors that I know of. Yes, you can't anchor on the eel grass in N.Haven, but you can outside of this.

 

[Coaster]

But what does it actually mean if it's fully protected? The website doesn't make this clear (that I could see). Skomer is already a protected area, but it's no problem for sailors that I know of. Yes, you can't anchor on the eel grass in N.Haven, but you can outside of this.

It seems the rules regarding "Highly Protected Marine Reserves", to quote MCS, are ill defined. As usual with anything to do with quangos and pressure groups it can take a lot of digging to establish the possibilities. However, what concerns me is the possibilty of anchoring being prohibited.

I've had a quick browse and see that the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 makes provision for the establishment of Marine Management Organisations. An MMO may make byelaws. These can include "prohibiting or restricting the anchoring of any vessel..." See Section 129 (3) (d).

Bureaucracy is a usually a one way ratchet process. It always tightens up and almost never slacks off. My view is that leisure boat use will inevitably be subject to increasing regulation. Perhaps one way of slowing the rate is to at least state our objections.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

But what does it actually mean if it's fully protected? The website doesn't make this clear (that I could see). Skomer is already a protected area, but it's no problem for sailors that I know of. Yes, you can't anchor on the eel grass in N.Haven, but you can outside of this.

If the protection already in place at Skomer is not considered to be "full" then you can expect more restrictions if it is ever made "full". For an idea of the way the wind is blowing see the various Studland threads.

I don't think I'm paranoid, but to me this all seems like the campaign run by the Ramblers and Birdies which finally banned bikes and 4x4s from most all unmade country roads ie RUPPs and bridleways.

 

[bluedragon]

OK, what I've done is this: Voted NO, but with the following comment

"You need to make it clear what "protection" means for leisure boaters such as myself, or I can't support this proposal"

If the measures are sensible, then of course I'd agree to them, but it's all too vague.