Survey for recreational sailors

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Vicki_1

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Hi All!

I am a student currently studying for a Masters of Research in Ecosystem-Based Management of Marine Systems at the University of St. Andrews in conjunction with the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS).

For my thesis project I am investigating the potential to design harbours and marinas in such a way as to prevent the colonisation and spread of marine invasive species. Invasive species are those which have been introduced to UK waters by human action and which have the ability to spread causing damage to the environment, the economy, our health and the way we live. Many marine invasive species arrive in UK waters via boats, either attached to the hull or in the ballast water.

I am hoping to gain insights into recreational sailing in the UK, and how ‘green credentials’ are perceived by recreational sailors. I would be very grateful if you could take 15mins to complete the following survey;
<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Recreational_Sailors">Click here to take survey</a>

Many thanks
Vicki
 
Vicki, you seem to have approached this in a very negative way, though this may just be my perception. If you presented the risk of importing invasive species on the hull and gave the areas this was applicable to you could receive a very different response. At the moment you are asking would I be willing to be inconvienced at great expense to my personal pocket on the basis of no data whatsover. I'm not aware of any invasive marine species that is is believed to have introduced to the UK by the hull of a recreational boat - are there any? If not why do you believe this is a risk that needs mitigating?

Sailors are especially sensitive about this as the have been at the wrong end of (I hope) well-meaning but mis-guided "conservationists" before. Have a search through the forums about Studland Bay and BORG as an example. A lot of conservationists seem to assume that they are they only people interested in the environment - which is about as far from the truth as you can get.

I appreciate you may not want to do it just yet but it would be great if you could let us know exactly what you think the risk of introducing a non-invasive species on a recreational yacht is - perhaps examples of the species and the waters they could be brought in from. Ironically one the constant moans you'll hear on these forums is how few long passages or cruises are done these days, partly because of the weather and partly the economic situation.
 
grumpy_o_g said:
Vicki, you seem to have approached this in a very negative way, though this may just be my perception. If you presented the risk of importing invasive species on the hull and gave the areas this was applicable to you could receive a very different response. At the moment you are asking would I be willing to be inconvienced at great expense to my personal pocket on the basis of no data whatsover. I'm not aware of any invasive marine species that is is believed to have introduced to the UK by the hull of a recreational boat - are there any? If not why do you believe this is a risk that needs mitigating?

Sailors are especially sensitive about this as the have been at the wrong end of (I hope) well-meaning but mis-guided "conservationists" before. Have a search through the forums about Studland Bay and BORG as an example. A lot of conservationists seem to assume that they are they only people interested in the environment - which is about as far from the truth as you can get.

I appreciate you may not want to do it just yet but it would be great if you could let us know exactly what you think the risk of introducing a non-invasive species on a recreational yacht is - perhaps examples of the species and the waters they could be brought in from. Ironically one the constant moans you'll hear on these forums is how few long passages or cruises are done these days, partly because of the weather and partly the economic situation.
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For an undergraduate thesis, I suspect that Vicki has no agenda and hasn't appreciated the sensitivities (or potential costs) involved or implied by her chosen area for her thesis. I also strongly suspect that the actual outcome of the work is almost irrelevant as the university will be more interested in her following a process showing some academic rigour. The conclusion she comes to might be that there is no risk and the costs would be prohibitive? She might not have considered that there's a major risk at all from this source, but she will be marked on how she approaches finding that out for real. Its an undergraduate thesis, not a Phd thesis which has weight behind its outcomes and conclusions.

I only know anything about this because our daughter has just done a thesis as part of her finals. (She researched the neurological processes of Paracetamol which she tells me is an interesting area as until very recentlys me the processes by which Paracetamol works were not completely understood. She had to research all the various research done so far and write it up showing subject knowledge understanding in her research of the academic work done to date. No extraordinary conclusion from her, but she was showing that she could produce a credible piece of research using all the processes required.)
 
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Stop whinging you lot.

Just do the survery, and put your views in there. That's what Vikki is after, so that she can arrive at a balanced and informed view.
 
Vicki, I sail in Australian waters so have not completed your questionaire. Your topic is most important but the risk (ie probability x consquences ) and scale of the problem, and hence the response, will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. I know you are concerned with UK waters but there is ample evidence elsewhere of devistation caused by non-indiginous species hitching a ride on vessels or in ballast water. In Australia, particularly up north, there is rigorous inspection of yachts entering Aus. ports and compulsory cleaning/treatment of below the waterline (and interior) of high-risk vessels (eg those arriving from "foreign" ports. If you google "AQUIS" you should get a heap of leads. Regards, Andrew.
 
Andrew G said:
If you google "AQUIS" you should get a heap of leads.
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Thanks for the hint too. "AQUIS Australia" finds it faster. It's interesting that vessels under 25m are treated more harshly that commercial vessels under the Quarantine act as far as bio-fouling is concerned. Is that because SOLAS ships are protected by the IMO, whereas yachts are easy targets?
 
Hi All!
Thanks to everyone for your responses, and particularly to Suttle and l’escargot for making my link work :) I can see it’s provoked some strong reactions, so I will try to answer your questions as best I can.

Firstly, I am writing a Masters thesis. I will not be advising anyone on policy, and although there is a hope I may get a paper published on this subject, I very much doubt the powers-that-be will be using it to create legislation!

My thesis is actually on designing and building marinas in a way that can prevent the spread of marine invasive species, instead of trying to force more legislation on recreational boaters. I only asked the question to gauge reactions, but I was fairly sure it would gain a negative reaction!

In response to grumpy_o_g, I am still in the research stage of my work, but it would appear that although recreational boats are not the main source of introduction of non-native species (commercial shipping is the main cause, followed by aquaculture) they can give invasive species a ‘free ride’ around the UK coast. I’ll do a trawl of my literature and post up here when I find something relevant. I understand that you all have a vested interest in the marine environment, which is why I have made the survey. It’s hard to judge how to pitch these things when you start (I usually deal with dead fish and green slime, not surveying people!) so perhaps I’ve taken the wrong stance. I have been modifying the survey as I go along (not great science, but the only way to get it right) and may now go back and change how I phrased the last few questions, so thanks for your response.

John_morris_uk, thanks for your support. My uncle owns a yacht, so I am aware that this is a sensitive issue, and that the costs involved may be prohibitive. However, as you said, this is academia not the real world, and exploring all the options might just get me a distinction ;)

Bobc and l’escargot – Thanks :) However, discussion is welcome! As I say, I know very little about this at the moment, so advice and knowledge from seasoned mariners is most welcome.

Andrew G – Thanks for your advice. I am investigating policies and marina designs in Australia and New Zealand, as they have fairly rigorous biosecurity policies.

Thanks to everyone for the survey responses, and I will post a summary of my findings up here when I have finished (in mid August). Until then feel free to continue the discussion and let me know of anything you think might be relevant :)

Many thanks
Vicki
 
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Holding tanks?

I think there may be a vector for moving species around via yachts: not on the hulls - this is a mite fanciful I think - but via holding tanks. Common practice is to use the holding tank when in a harbour or anchorage, pumping seawater into it, and then to pump out when substantially offshore. This could be a day or two later, or the invading species could live in the tank for a few days or weeks and, in principle at least, be pumped out hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

I don't suppose it's actually a problem in practice, and I'm sure there's absolutely no evidence that it ever has been, but it could just be an example of the law of unintended consequences!

But ship's ballast tanks must swamp those from yachts in terms of volume and distance between taking on water and discharging.
 
l'escargot said:
I agree - help the young lady out. She needs structured survey input not discussion...
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I would disagree, do the survey AND have a good discussion as it will also help her in understanding the subject in a way that a survey could not.
 
jdc said:
Common practice is to use the holding tank when in a harbour or anchorage, pumping seawater into it, and then to pump out when substantially offshore. This could be a day or two later, or the invading species could live in the tank for a few days or weeks and, in principle at least, be pumped out hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
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Can't see that one myself. When we chartered yachts with holding tanks we'd pump them out at the first opportunity, as soon as the harbour we'd left was a decent distance behind. No difference in local biology over that sort of range.

Pete
 
Lets just say not the best constructed post graduate survey I've had the pleasure of completing. I often wonder if the authors do a sanity check on them or if tutors ever challenge the student about what they are asking.

While 99% of surveys are on topics that students know an awful lot about, 1% of the respondants will know anything about the topic, as was witnessed in my reading of the survey.
 
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