Orwell and Stour MCZ

[Pye_End]

As the RYA stuff published recently on MCZ proposals explains, the very worrying aspect of the proposals is that they do not include details on what the measures could be to 'enforce' the zones, i.e. they do not state if agreement to the proposals will be swiftly followed by sanctions such as bans on anchoring. The whole thing is potentially very serious indeed for leisure boating.
All the kinds of issues raised already in this thread were put to the administrators of the schemes over the previous few years when they were doing their initial consultations, where they talked to local organisations, clubs, commercial operators etc etc. They got told all this already. They ploughed on.

Cantata - I might be reading this wrong, but I assume that the detail to which you are referring is in the annex half way down the OP link, or see my previous post for direct link. Looks like new information. I am unclear exactly where the Swale non-anchoring proposal is - possibly the most controversial of the document. The Thanet areas are worth looking at as well.

It is a good thing there is nothing for Hernia Bay, or the latest marina proposal would be out the window!

 

[Cantata]

Cantata - I might be reading this wrong, but I assume that the detail to which you are referring is in the annex half way down the OP link, or see my previous post for direct link. Looks like new information. I am unclear exactly where the Swale non-anchoring proposal is - possibly the most controversial of the document. The Thanet areas are worth looking at as well.
It is a good thing there is nothing for Hernia Bay, or the latest marina proposal would be out the window!

The Swale MCZ is one of those shelved for the time being. I'm not sure it ever mentioned an anchoring ban. The only 2 areas in the Swale that were mentioned as having some precious creature or plant or something were tiny and a few yards across, and I remember feeding back strong words to RYA-SE during the consultation process that a blanket anchoring ban, should one be proposed, was totally unjustifiable.
Herne Bay marina idea is IMHO nonsense as I expect you have also deduced!

 

[Pye_End]

The Swale MCZ is one of those shelved for the time being.

Quite right!

I'm not sure it ever mentioned an anchoring ban.

'Source of costs of the recommended Marine Conservation Zone (rMCZ) under Policy Option 1
Creation of a no-anchoring zone (except in emergency circumstances) over Ross worm Sabellaria spinulosa reef.'

somewhere round entrance of Swale I think - not too clear. P141

Herne Bay marina idea is IMHO nonsense as I expect you have also deduced!

As much it would be good to have the boat a bit closer, I can't help feeling that no yachtsmen were asked to look at this latest scheme. Non starter.

Still, today's news of an airport on the Goodwins (in a proposed MCZ) sounds just as good a scheme as Herne Bay marina.

 

[MarlynSpyke]

from the South coast...

Just been looking at this thread - I've been heavily involved in the Studland saga, and can offer some tips -

1.you need to check out what "management measures" might be involved. Not easy to find, the documents are opaque and very very long, but the Adobe Acrobat search tool is a great help - for a Windows machine, right click on a page of the pdf document, click on "find" in the drop-down menu and a search window appears which searches for the term (eg "anchoring") in the whole document. Saves hours.

2. If you find stuff that would be a problem for sailing / boating, get organised, eg through yacht clubs, marina groups or whatever, or someone just set something up as Jon Reed ("Old Harry") did for Studland - it's the Boat Owners Response Group, BORG, which uses YBW forums to communicate, plus we have a website at http://boatownersresponse.org.uk/. Lots of helpful stuff there, take a look.

3. Actually, our experience is there has been a serious effort to listen to boating interests, particularly by the MMO who will have the task of sorting out and implementing management (or conservation) measures. But boating interests do need to speak up, and not just leave it to the RYA who are doing a very good job, but have the whole country to deal with on this MCZ business. Plus they won't have the detailed local knowledge that matters.

4. The Government does seem keen to balance the possible gains from conservation against the socio-economic costs, so the conservationists and eco-warriors are not getting it all their way - but the case for common sense has to be put.

5. So check it out, organise, and get involved in the consultation process if anything looks to be a problem.

 

[PeterGibbs]

Just been looking at this thread - I've been heavily involved in the Studland saga, and can offer some tips -


3. Actually, our experience is there has been a serious effort to listen to boating interests, particularly by the MMO who will have the task of sorting out and implementing management (or conservation) measures. But boating interests do need to speak up, and not just leave it to the RYA who are doing a very good job, but have the whole country to deal with on this MCZ business. Plus they won't have the detailed local knowledge that matters.

4. The Government does seem keen to balance the possible gains from conservation against the socio-economic costs, so the conservationists and eco-warriors are not getting it all their way - but the case for common sense has to be put.

5. So check it out, organise, and get involved in the consultation process if anything looks to be a problem.

You would think that an inclusive process would oblige conservationists to demonstrate clearly that specific species in the affected areas were threatened, not just disturbed, and that this would entail come form of research; just asserting that "valued life is threatened" is surely not a process, just eco-bombast. Does anyone know if my view is the prevailing one?

Concerning the Harwich area, I would have thought that dredging over the years had seriously affected all the main water courses, and that seabed suitable for preservation measures would commence only some way offshore.

PWG