Studland Bay summary

[Tranona]

Aaaaah! Life IS a beach.

Annoying thing is I can see it out of my bedroom window, but it takes 45 minutes to drive there or a couple of hours from the club by boat - plus the extra half hour trying to get the anchor to set in the eel grass (only joking there, time spent finding a clear spot).

 

[rotrax]

Annoying thing is I can see it out of my bedroom window, but it takes 45 minutes to drive there or a couple of hours from the club by boat - plus the extra half hour trying to get the anchor to set in the eel grass (only joking there, time spent finding a clear spot).

Should freinds of seahorses or whatever they call themselves try to ban heavy weather from washing their little darlings uo on the beach? Also cyclists from running them over when helpless on the beach? Room here I think to show that natural disasters have more effect on the seahorse wellbeing than anchors.

 

[oldharry]

New Scientist Article on Seagrass

New Scientist has published an article about the global importance of Seagrass like that found in many of the South Coasts Bays and estuaries, and which is causing such a furore at Studland. Interesting there is no mention of anchor damage, though clearly there are important reasons why we should take our part in ensuring we do not damage it. Studland awaits the outcome of the current reviews being carried out by DEFRA. Latest is that the reviewers '...havent done Studland yet'. MMO, who will be responsible for creating the bye laws and enforcing them in the mCZs have deferred their next work group meeting until the review reports are published.

In the meantime we can relax and go sailing until 'they' have produced their reports.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21825-mowing-down-seagrass-meadows-will-cut-loose-carbon.htm

 

[Nicholas123]

How about rare snails or whatever excuse they are using to promote a ban on many of the anchorages that we can use around the Solent if we are so disposed Harry,any news of that?

 

[oldharry]

The jury is still out. Basically we get to know very little until the reports are complete. Many conservationist organisations are worried that a lot of the MCZ proposals will be scrapped when the impacts/ cost of implementing them becomes clear, to the extent they are trying to raise petitions to keep them - even before there is any definite news.

The main Solent areas of concern are the Central and West Solent eelgrass beds all along the north coast of the Island, including Osborne bay - but they have not attempted to include the eelgrass directly outside Cowes as far as I know. The fate of the anchorage inside Newtown River entrance is unclear. The existing NAZs up the Eastern and Western arms will almost certainly be reinforced by law, and their may be more moorings and less anchoring. Or possibly no anchoring at all, and moorings only? We just do not know at present. Arguments continue about the anchorage outside Yarmouth which again could become moorings only, while in Alum Bay it seems the NAZ would not apply to the main anchorage area. But until we have the reports in, we really do not know yet. Up the East side there is a big area East of Bembridge which could have restrictions, but very few people want to anchor out there, and only the summer moorings between the harbour and Lifeboat would be affected - if at all. Proposals within Chichester harbour have been dropped as the Harbour Board is seen to have it all under control anyway, and Eelgrass Beds in Fareham Creek are already controlled by an emergency order which will almost certainly be established on a permanent basis in due course.

Look for the Wildlife Trust websites in any coastal area to see their concerns.

 

[Nicholas123]

Eelgrass Beds in Fareham Creek are already controlled by an emergency order which will almost certainly be established on a permanent basis in due course.

The eelgrass beds were eradicated by clam dredgers a few years ago but the stuff seems to grow at such a pace I can't see that there is much of a problem (apart from the clam dredgers of coarse) & the idiot "conservationists" that carried out a scorched earth policy on Pewit Island a few years ago
Somebody should monitor & oversee their activities

 

[Seajet]

Nicholas123,

that's just the tip of the iceberg; check out what has happened at Pagham / Selsey !

A career conservationist 'just happened to find' a dead snail of some type of such importance the Holy Grail and Windsor Castle pale into insignificance, now there's a ban on doing anything to maintain the sea defences, dooming businesses and homes...

I love all wildlife, as 99% of boat users do, that's one of the attractions; but some people need an introduction to reality and the rights of those pesky human thingies trying to make a living, and with a disgusting habit of trying to keep inside burrows ( known to the species as 'houses' ) at night.

 

[Corribee Boy]

This is probably a stupid question, but has anyone taken an area of seagrass and carried out a controlled experiment, damaging some by dragging and anchor through it and monitoring regrowth?

Many cultivated plants benefit from this type of damage and re-grow better and denser than before.

This is surely pivotal to the entire discussion.

 

[Tranona]

This is probably a stupid question, but has anyone taken an area of seagrass and carried out a controlled experiment, damaging some by dragging and anchor through it and monitoring regrowth?

Many cultivated plants benefit from this type of damage and re-grow better and denser than before.

This is surely pivotal to the entire discussion.

Yes ad nauseum. And no it does not promote better growth, but it does re-establish itself in time where it has been dragged up.

There is masses written about research on the subject - just Google it.

The first dispute is about whether the level of anchoring in Studland has caused permanent damage - the jury is out, but the evidence that does exist suggests that it has spread widely in the area over the last 40 years rather than declined. The second dispute is about whether the localised damage of the habitat from anchoring has an impact on various species, particularly seahorses, that are found in the eelgrass beds. Again the evidence is inconclusive. The "scientific" evidence is currently under review.

 

[MarlynSpyke]

Corribee Boy, not a stupid question at all. There's an experiment just like that reported in the literature in which they used hoes to rake out all the eelgrass, roots and all, in 2m x 2m squares - which is a lot bigger than most peoples' anchors! It started to grow back quickly, and within 2 years was completely re-grown by the spread of rhizomes (roots) from nearby eelgrass.

For details of this, and of other reports of recovery of damaged eelgrass, go to the paper on eelgrass recovery published by BORG (Boat Owners Response Group) at http://boatownersresponse.org.uk/Eelgrass-recolonisation.pdf .

BORG has just launched an updated web site which looks seriously at the evidence put forward by the conservationists, particularly at Studland. There's plenty of ammunition there, including another paper at http://boatownersresponse.org.uk/Studland-evidence.pdf .

This stuff has been put forward in the MCZ consultation process by BORG as evidence from the boaters' side.

The main website, which also points to some handy aerial pics of Studland Bay, is at http://boatownersresponse.org.uk/ . Worth a visit.

 

[Searush]

Thanks to Dave Snelson for identifying this site . The draconian implementation of MCZ's in North Wales is causing enormous public complaint from the locals. It seems that they not only plan to ban anchoring, but also leisure & small scale local fishing (you'l never get a local sea bass, crab or lobster served again) bait digging & even the collection of driftwood or shells for craftwork will be banned!!!

Half the tourist in Wales will have to be arrested! It will kill the local economy completely as tourists & small scale fishing are vital to survival.

 

[Seajet]

Thanks to Dave Snelson for identifying this site . The draconian implementation of MCZ's in North Wales is causing enormous public complaint from the locals. It seems that they not only plan to ban anchoring, but also leisure & small scale local fishing (you'l never get a local sea bass, crab or lobster served again) bait digging & even the collection of driftwood or shells for craftwork will be banned!!!

Half the tourist in Wales will have to be arrested! It will kill the local economy completely as tourists & small scale fishing are vital to survival.

Ahh,

but if one's a career conservationist who gets on the telly ocasionally - 'who cares', it's not an idealogy any more it's a profession...

 

[Nicholas123]

Did anyone notice that the MMO were behind the building of a communication mast in Pool harbour mentioned on the radio a few days ago?

 

[oldharry]

NEW BORG WEBSITE and update

As mentioned earlier this week by Marlynspike, (who created it for us) BORG has a new website. Our thanks to Marlynspike for his hard work setting it all up for us.

www.boatownersresponse.org.uk

On this site have tried to summarise a consensus of the 100,000 or so posts about Studland and the MCZ project on the forums in recent years.

More importantly, you will find a brief summary of what MCZs are about and what difference it is likely to make.

You can download the various papers and reports BORG has submitted to DEFRA and Natural England, and the MMO, and examine in detail what we have been saying to them on your behalf.

The new website will be regularly updated as news and information becomes available, and will be linked through to YBW. We decided not to run an open forum on it at this stage, but to ask for your comments to be posted here on YBW.

UPDATE on MCZs

The ABPmer review which was due to finish on 17th June, has been extended by a month, and we are now told that Natural England will be publishing the results and the Economic Impact assessments on 18th July. The 'Public Consultation' period for the White paper on MCZs is now projected for December to February. This will be our last chance to challenge any proposals before they go to the Minister for approval and implementation.

The Seastar Report is still not published, and we are pushing Crown Estates to release it as soon as possible (it was promised for January this year!)

Updates and reports will be posted on our website as they become available, and will be linked here on YBW.

 

[Tomahawk]

Help getting to the important bits please?

Have looked at the BORG website and thence onto the links to the MCZ sites..

I am looking for the response forms on the MCZ sites so that I can make individual comments.. However in the usual fashion of the eco-wingers who propose such ideas, there is a lot of waffle about partnership, cooperation, stakeholders Etc; the site is bereft of details of how to challenge the piffle that is being spouted..

An example of the type of emotive yet unsubstantiated , is the last comment on the "In and on the water" page of the Balanced Seas website:
"These species and habitats need to be maintained as future declines could harm livelihoods and the economy of the region."

If the BORG team can find links to officers contacts and consultation and comment areas and put up links, we ordinary folks can go directly, en-mass to the people concerned. Then we can contact our MP's when they do not, as will be inevitable, reply to our questions..

 

[Tomahawk]

False information

I found a page that included some so,called email addresses for the liason officers in the Balanced Seas project.. They ar false email addressed and come back as not deliverable...

I would suggest that is grounds for official complaint..

 

[Seajet]

I am nothing to do with BORG, but I think you'll find the 'species threatening local population & economy' is 'Divearius Get My face on Teevarus Thuggieus Career Conservationus'

 

[Tomahawk]

We need better name than that..

A good response group has to have a catchy name

Battle ....Bradwell and Tillingham Tackling Lost Environment
Bad ......Beeleigh against Buildings
Borg .. ??
Sain .....Stop All incineratin Now
CPRE ....Commissariat of Privileged Rural Elite
Camra ..Campaign for Real Ale

I'm sorry but DGMTTCC is too much of a mouthful!

What about the CCCP? Career Conservationist Causing Problems....

 

[oldharry]

I found a page that included some so,called email addresses for the liason officers in the Balanced Seas project.. They ar false email addressed and come back as not deliverable...

I would suggest that is grounds for official complaint..

None of the four regional organisations exist now, having all disbanded with the Final Reports last September. All the officials involved are now redeployed elsewhere. Its very difficult to get hold of anyone who will give any answers just now, as they are all holding fire until the 18th July when the review is published. Even those of us who are 'in touch' are having difficulty getting a response from anyone

DEFRA has promised 'stakeholder participation' throughout the process - BORG is registered as a Stakeholder which hopefully means we can hold the door open for Boat owners to get involved as much as we want to.

 

[oldharry]

SEASTAR SURVEY published

Crown Estates finally released the Seastar Survey report today - 40 pages of close packed study and research.

It concludes:
"There is therefore no consistent evidence of boat anchoring impacting the seagrass habitat
at Studland Bay. However, the trends in the data (see figures 3.4 and 3.5) suggest an
increased difference in seagrass health between the VNAZ and the CTZ, and therefore a
need for a continuation of seagrass health monitoring at Studland Bay."

What we have all been saying all along. And if any conservationist disagrees (and the anti -yot brigade was rubbishing it even before it came out) then Borg suggests they pay for any further research out of their own pockets, rather than expecting the government to pay to disprove their pet theories.