New buoys to protect seagrass
Measures are being taken to ensure seagrass in Tor Bay is not damaged by mooring vessels
THREE new boat moorings designed to protect Tor Bay’s seagrass meadows have been installed at Fish combe Cove in the first scheme of its kind in the area.
Wild Planet Trust has installed the mooring buoys as part of the Save Our Seagrass campaign established in 2018. The campaign has been supported by Totnes-based underwater measuring instrument manufacturer Vale port. Along with other funders, this support has also enabled a dedicated group of volunteer divers to monitor the Tor Bay seagrass beds to determine the best place for moorings and survey the health of the seagrass.
Seagrass is the only group of flowering plants that can live in seawater. Producing flowers, pollen, and seeds while submerged. They can spread across large areas and create the appearance of an underwater meadow full of a huge diversity of species. The ecological importance of seagrass as a habitat is widely recognised and it is even protected by law in many countries, playing a huge role in carbon capture and coastal protection.
The meadows in Tor Bay are a vital nursery bed for young fish and home to both the UK seahorse species , the spiny and short-snouted seahorse. Shallow, sheltered coastal bays provide ideal conditions for the growth of seagrass meadows, but for this reason they are also attractive mooring and anchorage sites for boating communities.
Both boat anchors and traditional mooring systems have a detrimental impact on seagrass. Anchors pull up the seagrass roots and mooring chains move across the seabed with the changing tides and currents, scouring the seabed and resulting in immense damage to the habitat.
Although the seagrass areas in Tor Bay are voluntary no-anchoring zones, Wild Planet Trust is actively looking to encourage water enthusiasts and boat users to respect the seagrass by not anchoring at the known seagrass locations and to use these new permitted moorings.
“Anchoring in the wrong place damages the seagrass and threatens the wildlife that live amongst it,” said Dr Tracey Hams ton, Conservation Officer at Wild Planet Trust. “We are delighted to introduce these new moorings which will enable boat users to moor up, whilst protecting the seagrass below.”
The design of the new mooring system means damage to seagrass is prevented as the mooring chains are suspended above the seabed.
The main Seagrass meadows in Tor Bay are located in Fish combe/ Chur ston Cove; El berry cove/ Broad sands; Torre Abbey, Millstones/Beacon cove, Hope Cove and off Breakwater beach.
For more information about Wild Planet Trust’s conservation efforts, mission and how you can help, visit www.wildplanettrust.org.uk.