STUDLAND - How much do they want???

[ARCO7]

Money Money Money

Further to my postings on the huge amounts Wildlife Trusts have coming in , I note that their poor relation the Marine Conservation Society only took £1.3 million quids last year but they do have offices in Malaysia and the Turks and Chaos Islands .
I won't mention the Seahorse Trust yet but you can check their latest yearly accounts for yourselves on the Charity Commission's website.
I had a good read and chuckle at the wonderful SAVE STUDLAND BAY group on Facebook , its very good and they have their own TROLL who keeps butting in with delightful comments. No prizes for guessing who that is.

 

[oldharry]

Further to my postings on the huge amounts Wildlife Trusts have coming in , I note that their poor relation the Marine Conservation Society only took £1.3 million quids last year but they do have offices in Malaysia and the Turks and Chaos Islands .
I won't mention the Seahorse Trust yet but you can check their latest yearly accounts for yourselves on the Charity Commission's website.
I had a good read and chuckle at the wonderful SAVE STUDLAND BAY group on Facebook , its very good and they have their own TROLL who keeps butting in with delightful comments. No prizes for guessing who that is.

So whose for having a"STOOLS" group? Studland Trolls Observation On Line Syndicate....

The 'Troll' in this case is our redoubtable friend ST44 still doing his best to upset everybody, badmouthing the Studland "a***hole" villagers (his words), and anyone else who comes up here, including us 'rich uncaring yotties" from the "sunday afternoon g&t swilling brigade" ... etc, etc, etc.

Trouble is, exactly as he did here on the forums, he throughly antagonises everybody, and makes sensible debate between conservationists and Bay users almost impossible by his wild assertions and agressive stance.

 

[ARCO7]

Stick one of these up somewhere

Got this off the Save Studland Bay thingy on facebook .
I think we should show our continued support and stick these up in an appropriate position to get the message out to the Public at Large.
I've got one up in the back of landrover , hope it'll get read when I've parked for the day at Tesco's .

 

[sea urchin]

Wildlife Trusts campaign petition

The wildlife trusts are running a campaign in support of MCZs to counter "strong opposition from some very powerful lobbies". They already have over 5,000 signatures on their e petition (Target = 10,000). They say that by supporting it you really could make a difference.

Have a look at :http://www.sussexwt.org.uk/blog/2011/09/protecting-our-seas/
and
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/petitionfish

The petition mentions that MCZ's should be in the right place - that must be open for debate.

Sea horses get a mention - emphasising that they are 'rare'.

 

[oldharry]

There is a real problem with seahorses: nobody really studied them in our waters except Neil Garrick-Maidment, founder of the Sea Horse Trust. One man studying a species which on his own figures is to be found all round the west and south coast of England? Yet the Governments Science Advisory Panel - the advisory body working with the four regional groups - has advised that only his statistics should be included and 'serendipitous sitings' (their exact words) can not be taken in to account in assessing the likely presence and numbers of seahorses in any location. Speak to any inshore commercial fisherman, and he will have seen them regularly in their catches. Natural England has some information, and various local Wildlife Trusts are aware of their presence in their areas, but have never studied them properly.

On a completely different matter, Facebook has changed its format, and sites like Save Studland Bay, which contains much which is of interest is no longer allowed to be a public site: to read its pages (and its well worth doing - the Studlanders know a great deal about their Bay) you have now to be a signed up member. The site owner Alex Gibbons is working to see if it can be re-opened for general public readership. Presumably FB are responding to the crticism of the role of their website in the recent riots, as well as trying to limit or stop the online bullying and other vulnerabilities for youngsters we hear so much about?

 

[Nicholas123]

I am hearing more & more of restrictions being put on boat owners & boating activity's because of worms so I think a lot of deception is being used when they talk about rare species.
Soon kiddies won't be able to build sand castles on the beach

 

[oldharry]

I dont thinink it is deliberate deception by true Conservatioin scientists. The lunatiuc fringe which has entertained us on these pages is a different animal altogether, and thrives on deception. Unfortuntely some havea 'name' in conservation circles so their lies get taken seriously.

The real problem is that genuine conservation specialists are just that, and have no actual knowledge of the leisure boating perspective. So unless we are there to point things out, they draw assumtions based on what little they do know. A classic example was in Studland: Finding Sanctuary said firmly that the anchorage would always remain open 'for reasons of navigational safety'. They thought they meant that in bad weather, boats would be allowed to shelter there. BORG came back pointing out that that actually encompasssed a huge range of possible safety scenarios, and since then we and RYA have worked with FS to try and devise a basic defintion of 'navigational safety' which would stand up in the courts.

BORG came about partly because I saw as soon as I became involved with MMO last year, that we needed a recongnised platform from which to speak. A person representing an organisation is far more likely to be listened to than jost Old harry getting u and speechifying! And I have been proved right on numerous aoccasions as 'Founder of BORG'. People take the title more seriously.

So if there is a prpblem over conserving worms vs boat owners, using the BORG thing may just get you a better hearing. Let me know details, and we can maybe have a local BORG rep if someone wants to get involved. We play to certain basic rules which you would need to know if you want to use us. Same apllies anywhere round the coast, if anyone is aware of 'situations' arising locally. Let us know, and we will see if the BORG title gets you any further, and if not, we can maybe involve RYA for you.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Clearly they are trying to get away from all the anchoring.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15215335

 

[Seajet]

Clearly they are trying to get away from all the anchoring.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15215335

It would seem a lot more likely the Seahorses are trying to get away from the divers !

The little beasties have put up with anchoring for well over 1 century, very probably many, and there are records of them liking to hover around anchor / mooring chains...

Compare that to the situation after the dreadfully distorted and insulting Packham/ BBC programme; shortly followed by large groups of Eastern European divers at 02:00 in the morning followed by a distinct lack of seahorses which are valuable to aquarium collectors and to the Chinese community as delicacies...

Well done, Packham you self serving idiot, got your face on the telly again and the publicity wiped out the species in the locality you were on about !

 

[Sailingbye]

a compromise?

We have to understand the "political" realities and adapt our strategy accordingly. Sadly we won't win the argument, we are up against more vociferous lobbies. I only tell it how I see it. So how do we continue to use the area? Why not have a substantial number of mooring buoys laid. It would mean anchoring wasn't an issue but we could still enjoy the bay. Not the same I grant you, but as others have pointed out it would still be a safe haven for yachts on passage and with minimal damage to the environment?

 

[Seajet]

Moorings at Studland

Sailingbye,

I know it's a bit of a trek now, as this thread has become very long due to its' success; however if you read back just a little you'll see moorings instead of anchoring at Studland has been discussed at length.

There's no proof either that anchoring or conventional moorings cause any problems.

We at BORG in seeking a conservationist - compatible ( they're professional, out to make a career, loudmouthed and not too well advised ) compromise have researched 'Environmentally Friendly Moorings' ( EFM's ) and they may be an idea, but are incredibly expensive ( £10,000 just for the seabed installation kit, which would do a whole bunch of moorings, add the cost of the workboat and crew doing it, individual mooring price and a professional seabed survey to begin with ! ) - so when one asks the question " who's going to pay for this then ? " there's a deafening silence...

Plus when boat insurance companies were asked what they thought about EFM's they asked " what's the maximum value boat you envisage using it ? "

'Oh, as Sunseekers yard is nearby, and it's en route for Blue Water Cruisers, say a few £million' --- the answer was " err, we'll get back to you " ! That was a few months ago ...

Also the guideline which seems to have been arrived at - due to 'unsightliness of mooring buoys' which I can sort of understand - is 30 - 50 EFM's, which would be fine normally but at peak times anchoring space would still be required.

If you are a member of Facebook do have a look at the 'Save Studland Bay' site there, set up by Studland residents; they are very pro-boats !

 

[ParaHandy]

Mermaid Entertainment Ltd

Whilst entertaining the grandchildren, I see your bête noir SHT have their office at Sescot near Ottery St Mary and that they were 'rescued' by a £25,000 donation from Sea Life Parks this year. Sea Life are owned by Mermaid who employ +10,000 and own London Eye, Tussauds etc etc; second in attractions to Disneyland worldwide. Sea horses pack a market wallop?

 

[oldharry]

Yes, NGM is good at fund raising PR. He has a head start with Seahorses anyway, most people, and virtually all kids find to them totally fascinating.

 

[Natalie Davies]

New thread started

I have closed this thread as it was becoming unweildy. Please continue this discussion on the new thread: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291827

Thanks,
Natalie Davies
YBW Editor