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

Ian_Rob said:
In as much as the rodes on eco-moorings are designed to float rather than scour the seedbed, would it not be preferable to position to them over the areas of seagrass? There would be limited impact where the helical screws are driven into the seabed but so positioned, the buoys would serve as barriers to both anchoring and speeding watercraft and crucially, allow mooring in positions that are properly sheltered from the prevailing wind and currents.
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The ecco moorings are placed over the seagrass. Boats still anchor as they want to be closer to the beach for swimming, etc and the buoys can't really be placed in shallow water, l believe less than 2m.
Some watercraft seem to use the buoys as a slalom course !
One buoy this year has "broken" with a boat attached and the owners trying to catch it by rowing their dinghy. I haven't heard why it broke.

When I first started to anchor at Studland in the early 1980's there was very little seagrass. Over the years it has become more prolific.
 
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Thanks for this and the update. I was basing my observation on the photos above which don’t give the impression of there being that many moorings nor in positions that one would choose to anchor in.

We used to go very regularly but were put off by the behaviour of 5 or 6 watercraft that were waving jumping around us a few years ago and haven’t been back since.
 
Ian_Rob said:
Thanks for this and the update. I was basing my observation on the photos above which don’t give the impression of there being that many moorings nor in positions that one would choose to anchor in.

We used to go very regularly but were put off by the behaviour of 5 or 6 watercraft that were waving jumping around us a few years ago and haven’t been back since.
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There is a map of their locations towards the bottom of the below page

Voluntary No Anchoring Zone (VNAZ) & Pay to Moor | Studland Bay Marine Partnership | Dorset Coast Have Your Say
 
We were at Studland last weekend and had to choose to anchor either in the zone or outside the protection of the land. We chose the latter and I found it rather unpleasant and went to the beach where I was sand blasted instead. The thing is that there is a massive area near the Old Harry with good protection in the VNAZ where there are no moorings. It seemed that no one wanted to be the first not to volunteer and anchor in the zone. Next time I might take a different view.
 
What I have been saying from day one of this whole mess 16 years ago. Boats need to be close inshore, exactly where the eelgrass now grows. 30 years ago there was plenty of room round the then much smaller eelgrass beds, and in the 1970's you would be quite unlucky if your anchor landed in a patch of it. I've been going there on and off since 1972., and two or three times a year since 1990. It used to be a good safe anchorage in those days....

But the 'experts' insist it cant grow if we anchor in it. But the above evidence as presented by many long term visitors alongside local fishermen who have worked the Bay for a greatv many years, supported by aerial photography from a variety of sources is dismissed as 'anecdotal'. Unfortunately thats all the evidence there is pre 2007. In the same way local inshore fishermen say there have always been years when the seahorses didnt come in. The claim there is a local 'colony' is pure fiction. They are occasional seasonal visitors. Unlike the well established colony in the west sde of Poole Harbour - but then thats not a nice sandy beach to go swimming.

There is an entirely tenable hypothesis that seahorses in Studland actually come from Poole, and have been swept out by the strong tides in the entrance.
 
oldharry said:
What I have been saying from day one of this whole mess 16 years ago. Boats need to be close inshore, exactly where the eelgrass now grows. 30 years ago there was plenty of room round the then much smaller eelgrass beds, and in the 1970's you would be quite unlucky if your anchor landed in a patch of it. I've been going there on and off since 1972., and two or three times a year since 1990. It used to be a good safe anchorage in those days....

But the 'experts' insist it cant grow if we anchor in it. But the above evidence as presented by many long term visitors alongside local fishermen who have worked the Bay for a greatv many years, supported by aerial photography from a variety of sources is dismissed as 'anecdotal'. Unfortunately thats all the evidence there is pre 2007. In the same way local inshore fishermen say there have always been years when the seahorses didnt come in. The claim there is a local 'colony' is pure fiction. They are occasional seasonal visitors. Unlike the well established colony in the west sde of Poole Harbour - but then thats not a nice sandy beach to go swimming.

There is an entirely tenable hypothesis that seahorses in Studland actually come from Poole, and have been swept out by the strong tides in the entrance.
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Not sure the seahorses come in to it any more.

Boris decided that preventing carbon release was difficult and that the UK would sequester carbon in salt marshes and seagrass beds. Anchoring re-releases it. Hence the drive to start using eco-moorings.

https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0651/POST-PN-0651.pdf
 
st599 said:
Not sure the seahorses come in to it any more.

Boris decided that preventing carbon release was difficult and that the UK would sequester carbon in salt marshes and seagrass beds. Anchoring re-releases it. Hence the drive to start using eco-moorings.

https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0651/POST-PN-0651.pdf
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And an easterly "gale" disturbs the sea bed more than any anchoring over a year. I've seen the whole of south beach covered by seagrass after one.
 
Boathook said:
And an easterly "gale" disturbs the sea bed more than any anchoring over a year. I've seen the whole of south beach covered by seagrass after one.
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That was pointed out to them right from the beginning. however that does not "fit" and as the cafe is closed in the winter there is no incentive for the eco warriors to go there in February/March when it happens.
 
Boathook said:
And an easterly "gale" disturbs the sea bed more than any anchoring over a year. I've seen the whole of south beach covered by seagrass after one.
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Does an easterly gale rake the sea bed and release the sequestered carbon like an anchor?

Fact is, this is what the government have decided to do and their plans include re-seeding loads of bays and preventing anchoring. This is why the RYA have started to take part in various academic tests. Anchoring in a quiet bay is on the way out.
 
st599 said:
...
Fact is, this is what the government have decided to do and their plans include re-seeding loads of bays and preventing anchoring. This is why the RYA have started to take part in various academic tests. Anchoring in a quiet bay is on the way out.
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...and where are the results of all the money and effort put into these re-seeding plans and trials?
Thousands of seed bags were dropped onto the sea floor in 2021 in a £2.5m project to grow eight hectares (80,000 sq m) of meadow in Devon and Hampshire.
 
st599 said:
Does an easterly gale rake the sea bed and release the sequestered carbon like an anchor?

Fact is, this is what the government have decided to do and their plans include re-seeding loads of bays and preventing anchoring. This is why the RYA have started to take part in various academic tests. Anchoring in a quiet bay is on the way out.
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Who knows? Doubt anybody has ever carried out work in that area. I would guess it is probably unique to Studland with its very shallow water and exposure to strong winds and fetch from the east.

I remember in my early exchanges with NGM of Seahorse Trust suggesting he might learn more if he re-framed his research question along the lines of "factors that affect the health of seagrass beds in Studland Bay". Not surprising given he has no formal academic background it did not appeal. After all much more fun spending a warm summers afternoon diving in the bay trying to photograph transient seahorses so he can get an article in the Bournemouth Echo. Sadly I got similar response when I raised the issue with the persons at Southampton University who were working with him at the time. There is a long list of environmental factors such as run off, dredging for the Swash Channel, patterns of fishing which have changed over the last 30 years that have never been investigated thoroughly.

Now of course seahorses are out of fashion except when the Echo has a half page to fill on a quiet Wednesday in summer and carbon capture plus active seeding are now in fashion. Demonstrating similar levels of ignorance and dubious science used to winkle sums of money out of government for experiments as in post#370
 
st599 said:
Does an easterly gale rake the sea bed and release the sequestered carbon like an anchor?

Fact is, this is what the government have decided to do and their plans include re-seeding loads of bays and preventing anchoring. This is why the RYA have started to take part in various academic tests. Anchoring in a quiet bay is on the way out.
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Yes and even worse judging by the amount of seagrass on the beach. The water at Studland is shallow.
 
oldharry said:
SHT and NGM remain active in the Bay, championing the protected seahorse status, and they have played a significant role in setting up eco moorings. But the objective is the same for both parties - non disturbance of the seagrass.
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I don't think that's correct.

The initial seahorse campaigners wanted seagrass undisturbed as a habitat

The government want the sediment undisturbed so it doesn't release carbon.

Whilst the presence of seagrass on a beach following a storm does prove that the habitat is being damaged, it doesn't necessarily mean that the carbon sequestration is being affected.
 
st599 said:
I don't think that's correct.

The initial seahorse campaigners wanted seagrass undisturbed as a habitat

The government want the sediment undisturbed so it doesn't release carbon.
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I thought was what I sad... Seahorses to be protected,, followed later by the need for carbon sequestration protection which also requires the seabed to be undisturbed. Different reasons, same result and same solution - lay eco moorings, which was what both NGM and I were advocating 10 =12 yaars or more ago.

NGM was in a position to take it forward when the time came. For health reasons I have had to drop out.
 
Stayed again last night and it was a welcome respite after 12 hours from Torquay in fairly big seas. Happy to pay and they now have tags to scan on the line right next to the hoop on your cleat. I didn't want to download another app (Sippi) so I paid online. It doesn't allow you to backdate your arrival so made a donation then an hour later the reminder boat came along.

He wasn't aware we paid so there doesn't appear to be a list of boats who coughed up. He stopped at everyone in the mooring. Here he is about to pounce on our neighbour.

PS doesn't anyone secure their halyard anymore. We were surrounded by clank clanks and needed earplugs to sleep. Must have been awful on your own boat or is everyone deaf?

studland_patrol.jpg
 
oldharry said:
Was he actually collecting money from people who haven't paid? If so he was scamming, as SBMP volunteers in the Bay are not authorised to take payments.
Voluntary No Anchoring Zone (VNAZ) & Pay to Moor | Studland Bay Marine Partnership | Dorset Coast Have Your Say

Wouldnt be the first time. Some years ago I anchored in a different bay I knew was not controlled, and was asked for an anchor fee. Told the guy to get lost before I reported him and picked up my VHF Mic. He scooted of sharpish...
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No, very pleasant and as I referred to him as a "reminder boat", the general attitude was explaining how to use the app etc
 
wonkywinch said:
Stayed again last night and it was a welcome respite after 12 hours from Torquay in fairly big seas. Happy to pay and they now have tags to scan on the line right next to the hoop on your cleat. I didn't want to download another app (Sippi) so I paid online. It doesn't allow you to backdate your arrival so made a donation then an hour later the reminder boat came along.

He wasn't aware we paid so there doesn't appear to be a list of boats who coughed up. He stopped at everyone in the mooring. Here he is about to pounce on our neighbour.

PS doesn't anyone secure their halyard anymore. We were surrounded by clank clanks and needed earplugs to sleep. Must have been awful on your own boat or is everyone deaf?

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A reminder boat, thats a new one !!

Halyard slap yeah, pain in the ass, how to wear out and damage your halyards not to mention how annoying it is to all around.
 
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