Robin
Well-known member
There was a snippet on meridian local newsabout discovering spiny seahorses in portsmouth so maybe they have relocated. Seahorse trust got a mention.
Studland Bay - what you need to do
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Tranona
Well-known member
Hopefully we will hear more detail from oldharry in due course. I have anchored there several times in recent weeks and much less activity than normal - but of course not normal times.
Will spend tomorrow night there ready to take the morning tide on Thursday up to the Solent.
Blue Sunray
Well-known member
Studland Bay 'eco-moorings' set up to protect seahorses.
Neil Garrick-Maidment, from the trust, said it was "vital" the area was "effectively protected" and used "responsibly and sustainably".
Chris Packham called the project "significant progress". "It is hoped that following the first 10, that more of these environmentally responsible moorings will eliminate anchor damage and preserve the seabed for these charismatic creatures," he wrote.
Last year, the largest number of Spiny Seahorses were recorded in the area since 2008. It was attributed to the reduction in people, boat traffic and anchors during lockdown.
Neil Garrick-Maidment, from the trust, said it was "vital" the area was "effectively protected" and used "responsibly and sustainably".
Chris Packham called the project "significant progress". "It is hoped that following the first 10, that more of these environmentally responsible moorings will eliminate anchor damage and preserve the seabed for these charismatic creatures," he wrote.
Last year, the largest number of Spiny Seahorses were recorded in the area since 2008. It was attributed to the reduction in people, boat traffic and anchors during lockdown.
Robin
Well-known member
I have never picked up a mooring there in over 50years and will anchor using my own tried and tested gear as always. Are they covered by liability insurance? Howmany and where are they in the bay,? Are they intended for visitors or just to replace the existing local's moorings? Is this the BBC yet again simply reprinting verbatim a SHT/NGM press release unquestioned?
Blue Sunray
Well-known member
Is this the BBC yet again simply reprinting verbatim a SHT/NGM press release unquestioned?
Of course, but the RYA seem to be doing much the same, certainly not contradicting them. Aren't the talking seahorse and swans in the picture sweet though?
andy59
Well-known member
South Today - Evening News: 28/07/2021
A piece on south today about the new eco moorings starts at 14.12
A piece on south today about the new eco moorings starts at 14.12
oldharry
Well-known member
ryanroberts
Well-known member
100 moorings would be a solution, but I somehow doubt Boatfolk are doing this out of the goodness of their heart..
Babylon
Well-known member
And the same press release found its way into The Times as well, from which:
“Sea grass is so valuable,” Garrick-Maidment explained. “It’s a wave diffuser, stopping the beach and cliffs being eroded, and more importantly it’s this incredible carbon sink. Along side that, you’ve got spectacular species like the spiny seahorse.”
A meeting with Michael Gove, the then environment secretary, allowed the conservationists to make their case for a marine conservation area. Garrick-Maidment recalled: “His last words to me were ‘I totally get seahorses. We’ve got to do something about them’. And he was true to his word.”
But he and his team of divers have experienced death threats and abuse.
“We had one woman in a boat who literally tried to run us over,” he said. “We always fly dive flags, and we were shouting at her and she said: “This’ll teach him” and reversed the boat over him. He’s still got nicks on his cylinder where the propeller went over him.”
What truth there is to this allegation is anyone's guess, but it certainly makes good copy....!
“Sea grass is so valuable,” Garrick-Maidment explained. “It’s a wave diffuser, stopping the beach and cliffs being eroded, and more importantly it’s this incredible carbon sink. Along side that, you’ve got spectacular species like the spiny seahorse.”
A meeting with Michael Gove, the then environment secretary, allowed the conservationists to make their case for a marine conservation area. Garrick-Maidment recalled: “His last words to me were ‘I totally get seahorses. We’ve got to do something about them’. And he was true to his word.”
But he and his team of divers have experienced death threats and abuse.
“We had one woman in a boat who literally tried to run us over,” he said. “We always fly dive flags, and we were shouting at her and she said: “This’ll teach him” and reversed the boat over him. He’s still got nicks on his cylinder where the propeller went over him.”
What truth there is to this allegation is anyone's guess, but it certainly makes good copy....!
ryanroberts
Well-known member
This chap plainly has a little dose of Walter MItty about him. I'll make sure to try to board him waving a cutlass.
Blue Sunray
Well-known member
Well, he has incredible experience and a story well worth listening to according to a well known marina company.
Folk Tales Episode 17: Getting to know Neil Garrick-Maidment | boatfolk
Norman_E
Well-known member
All over BBC Breakfast this morning with the BBC letting the Seahorse Trust go completely unchallenged. As for the idea that seagrass is a "wave diffuser" nobody ever seems to challenge such nonsense. Has nobody ever noticed that the seagrass is mostly well below wave level?
laika
Well-known member
I’m not seeing any mention of the advisory no anchoring zone on freshly updated navionics. It says “Marine Conservation Area” but the little anchor symbols are still there. I thought the restrictions (even if advisory) were supposed to be in place by now
bedouin
Well-known member
I noticed that nonsense and was considering making a complaint. At lot of what was said seemed to be nonsense or downright wrong.
doug748
Well-known member
If anyone has an easy link to this stuff, it would be good to have a go at them. I think a lot of folk are sick to death of the BBC
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Blue Sunray
Well-known member
chrishscorp
Well-known member
I thankfully didnt see breakfast news, but had to listen to the BS on the radio.
There are no restrictions in place, MMO still cogitating on just how much of a fight they have got on their hands.
There are no restrictions in place, MMO still cogitating on just how much of a fight they have got on their hands.
Robin
Well-known member
It was on ITV Meridian news too last night complete with self professed 'expert' NGM doing the presentation with diagrams, not a journalist investigated report so straight out of his SHT publicity pages. No mention of where or what restrictions on usage might apply. According to him nothing lays on the bottom it just stretches to adjust to tide range using elastic. No way will I trust something that has potentially been stretched even more multiple times by 2 metres tide range plus any swell/wash factor let alone the snatch loads of a strong gust or three on a raft of day out boats from Cobbs.
st599
Well-known member
In the Australian design that I saw under test, the elastic is not part of the connection between the boat and the ground tackle - it's there to prevent the chain drooping. Advanced Mooring Technology - How It Works
The alternative seems to be that we're barred from every area used in the Government's sequestration scheme. And as that plan seems to eventually cover every patch of water less than 10m deep, finding an alternative is important.
Bodach na mara
Well-known member
I saw an item on the BBC News yesterday about a new mooring system that protects the grass. Apparently it is not only anchoring that damages the bottom flora, heavy mooring chains do so as well. The latest idea is to screw long anchors into the seabed, and attach a length of rubber "rope" to the top. This is kept clear of the bottom by floats attached to the top end and the system continues to the surface with conventional multiplait and a surface floating buoy. The Seahorse Trust has not gone away.
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