Studland - MMO Management protocols for the MCZ in place from 17th December

[oldharry]

Aerial view of Old Harry Rocks

Press Release from MMO this morning:

"From 17 December 2021, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is introducing a phased voluntary approach for the management of anchoring in Studland Bay Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ).
This will give recreational boaters in Studland Bay time to explore alternatives to anchoring in sensitive areas of the MCZ - such as the use of advanced mooring systems. From 1 June 2022, the area will be increased to cover the majority of seagrass beds to form a permanent voluntary no anchor zone.
MMO consulted and engaged widely on the management of anchoring in the MCZ:

• October 2020 - Following a draft assessment of the impacts of marine non-licensable activities on Studland Bay MCZ, MMO held a call for evidence. This was an informal consultation which sought views from stakeholders on the draft assessment and management options.
• February 2021 - MMO announced that based on the draft assessment and call for evidence, management measures were required for anchoring due to impacts on the site, but further engagement was needed with the public to develop them.
• March 2021 - Dorset Coast Forum facilitated two engagement events  to gather feedback from stakeholders on a set of draft anchoring management options presented by MMO. The first meeting was attended by 32 representatives from key stakeholder groups and the second meeting was attended by 370 members of the public.
• September 2021 – MMO held a meeting with representatives from key stakeholder groups to announce the management approach.

Following the feedback from stakeholders, and advice from Natural England, MMO decided that the voluntary no-anchor zone would be put in place in the seagrass beds to reduce the damage caused by dropping and weighing anchors."

Full text here: Protecting precious marine habitats together

A full summary of MMOs position can be downloaded here: This links to 5 publications from MMO about the Studland debate.
Managing marine non-licensable activity in Studland Bay Marine Conservation Zone

This effectively closes the debate and confirms that Marine Conservation Law can be based purely on undefined 'expert opinion' that effectively cannot be challenged. It IS a success in that in 2008 the Conservationists stated aim was to close the Bay altogether. This objective has been vigorously pursued since by Conservation interests, and opposed with equal vigour by BORG and some other boating organisations. I camapigned from the outset for Voluntary measures, and that is what we have.

The effectiveness of the regime will be monitored by MMO, and further tougher measures may be considered if visitors ignore the recommendations.

 

[Boathook]

Might have to start using Swanage though the shelter isn't as good as Studland.
But where do you leave a dinghy when going ashore? I wonder whether the council would put in a seasonal pontoon for dinghies which would help to relieve us of monies in the local shops and pubs, etc.

What will MMO do if the seagrass beds die back due to lack of boats anchoring as they don't know or even seem to care about the 'relationship' between the two. Back track or carry on 'blaming' anchors?

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

I hope 'protecting precious marine habitats' includes banning diving.

 

[Concerto]

What will MMO do if the seagrass beds die back due to lack of boats anchoring as they don't know or even seem to care about the 'relationship' between the two. Back track or carry on 'blaming' anchors?

Their answer will be simply. The seagrass beds were in a worse state than we thought, so we now require a total ban of boats from Studland Bay to ensure recovery.

Let us hope nature continues to show the expansion of the seagrass beds that has happened over the past half century - especially through the area where boats are still allowed to anchor. This may take a decade or more to see and then finally the no anchor zone might get removed.

 

[oldharry]

Their answer will be simply. The seagrass beds were in a worse state than we thought, so we now require a total ban of boats from Studland Bay to ensure recovery.

Let us hope nature continues to show the expansion of the seagrass beds that has happened over the past half century - especially through the area where boats are still allowed to anchor. This may take a decade or more to see and then finally the no anchor zone might get removed.

Unfortunately for us its a lose - lose situation. Continued die back would be taken as evidence it is damaged beyond repair by us. Improvement would prove that we were causing damage and it is now recovering. Either way would provide evidence that anchoring should be banned elsewhere. The ideal - and what I expect to happen - is that it will make no significant difference. NE did a base line survey last summer, from which future measurements will be taken.

Cunning plot: whatever happens, there is no previous baseline to confirm whether improvement or deterioration is an ongoing trend anyway. Marlynspyke has monitored eelgrass extent in the Bay from aerial surveys for a number of years and has noted that since 2018 there has been some die-back. His methodology accords with International practice for aerial surveys of eelgrass extent, but his findings are disallowed by Natural England who apparently know better than the International scientific Community! This die back is a normal feature of large eelgrass beds over the long term. Bad luck if it is just moving in to a die back cycle. Proves the boats were doing damage...

I hope 'protecting precious marine habitats' includes banning diving.

Quick answer - No, even though NGM himself strongly advises divers to ensure they do not disturb seabed sediments with the backwash from their flippers. Diving is listed as 'non-damaging'

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

What about yachtspersons who die in SW storms because they have had to run on towards the Needle|’s dangers? Will members of the MMO be expected to mother and father replacements to ensure yachting stocks are not diminished?

 

[oldharry]

What about yachtspersons who die in SW storms because they have had to run on towards the Needle|’s dangers? Will members of the MMO be expected to mother and father replacements to ensure yachting stocks are not diminished?

I argued that point right from day one 11 years ago. The result is that MMO are emphatic that safety will ALWAYS over-ride any conservation regulations. It is still a grey area because the landsmans concept of an emergency at sea involves howling gales, black skies, mountainous seas, lifeboats, helo's etc, complete with choir on the headland nearby singing the lifeboat hymn and Grace darling rowing to the rescue through raging waves... I'm not entirely kidding there, either. What I WAS able to get across was that a decent AWB coming up channel in a rising F6 with a full and experienced crew will be enjoying the ride, whereas an identically equipped boat manned by a middle aged couple on their annual cruise, non too fit, already seasick and overtired, in the same scenario are in serious trouble. I was also able to get across to them that many emergencies can be avoided if the skipper is able to get his boat into shelter BEFORE things go wrong, and this is actually written in to the legislation. It has to be tested yet, but the principle is established that if a skipper beleives he is at risk he CAN stop when and where he needs to.

 

[sarabande]

I started looking for old aerial photos of Studland a few years ago. Perhaps we could assemble an archive to see if there is any change ? Even WW2 pics might be useful.

 

[oldharry]

I started looking for old aerial photos of Studland a few years ago. Perhaps we could assemble an archive to see if there is any change ? Even WW2 pics might be useful.

See: Aerial Images for a head start on this. We have photos going back to 1953 which shows about 100sqm of elegrass in total. the evidence is very clear that the eelgrass was steadily expanding until around 2018. There are not many photos pre around 2005 clear enough to show detail. The few WW2 pics we have show no seabed detail at all. The eelgrass was destroyed in the 1930's by a wasting disease that wiped out over 90% of European seagrass. 'Disease and anchoring are ascribed to eelgrass loss, as though it was concurrent.

In WW2 the bay was used for research into weaponry and defense experiments. One such was Operation Fougasse which invlvled laying pipes out into the bay, from which was discharged oil which was then set on fire. I am surprised that eelgrass had re-established itself within 10 years of that event! The history makes total BS of the conservation claims. But it is not considered because there is no quantifiable scientific data.

 

[LadyInBed]

Can anyone point to the Lat / Long's for the latest conservation zone, as I couldn't find them in the links or a search.

 

[dunedin]

Can anyone point to the Lat / Long's for the latest conservation zone, as I couldn't find them in the links or a search.

See Annex 1 of this paper - https://assets.publishing.service.g...dland_Bay_MCZ_Habitat_Protection_Strategy.pdf

PS. The MMO seems to have very strange approaches to map projections, which doesn’t correspond to any nautical conventions

 

[LadyInBed]

See Annex 1 of this paper

Many thanks

 

[LadyInBed]

I've just put the area into my Ocpn chart and it looks to me that Phase 1 will have no effect on my preferred anchor spots and Phase 2 just clips one of the spots I use between MCA 2 and MCA 3a.

 

[LiftyK]

I don’t have my charts at home so may I ask a favour to help me get my bearings? Which of MCA 2-3-4-5 would be opposite the café/ kiosk by the beach huts? Thanks.

 

[oldharry]

The Kiosk is roughly behind the purple printed 'Phase 1' on the chart. the indentation in the shoreline just north of it is Redend Point.

 

[LiftyK]

Thank you oldharry. So no anchoring close-in to the beach for shallow draft boats. That’s a shame. I don’t recall there being sea grass that close in.

 

[Boathook]

Thank you oldharry. So no anchoring close-in to the beach for shallow draft boats. That’s a shame. I don’t recall there being sea grass that close in.

The seagrass goes right in and only stops when it dries at low water. I anchored right in this summer but had to move so I didn't go aground at LW.

 

[oldharry]

Yes its been steadily expanding inshore over the last 20 years. Thats not supposed to be happening is it? Oh well, never mind the facts.... just bear in mind there is less and less bare sand for us to anchor in because of it dying back so badly.

 

[Pete7]

How can a "no anchor zone" be voluntary?

More to the point, should some unfortunate soul who doesn't read YBW happen to anchor in the forbidden zone, will they be up infront of the Magistrate on Monday morning having his assets confiscated and his wallet lightened?

Pete

 

[oldharry]

How can a "no anchor zone" be voluntary?

More to the point, should some unfortunate soul who doesn't read YBW happen to anchor in the forbidden zone, will they be up infront of the Magistrate on Monday morning having his assets confiscated and his wallet lightened?

Pete

It is just that. Boaters are requestd not to anchor in the VNAZ. If too many people ignore it, there will be increasing pressure on MMO to make it compulsory. But, as I have rpeatedly pointed out to them, many people who visit the bay own smaller boats and trailer sailors, and never read the LNTMs etc. Problem si that is a good argument for making it compulsory, too. But the same issue applies - how will people know until they find themselves in hauled befroe the Bench. Come to that who and how will they do that without regular patrols with authority to demand skippers ID? Locla Plod will not welcome that extra duty.