Studland Bay became a Marine Conservation Zone in 2019 to safeguard its seagrass meadows and spiny seahorses that depend on them.
Marine Conservation Zones are like nature reserves in the sea. They are designated by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), the government body responsible for protecting and enhancing the UK’s marine environment, while supporting sustainable marine activities.
In Studland Bay, the seagrass meadows have been assessed as being in an ‘unfavourable condition’, although they are slowly recovering. The MMO has identified traditional anchoring as a major cause of their decline, as anchors scour the seabed and tear up seagrass.
Top photo: © boatfolk
“The Marine Conservation Zone was designated after 11 years of studying, surveying and tireless campaigning by The Seahorse Trust and its partners at Southampton University. Seeing the seagrass meadows begin to flourish again – and witnessing increasing numbers of seahorse sightings – fills us with pride and hope for the future.”Neil Garrick-Maidment, partnership member and founder of The Seahorse Trust.
Voluntary No Anchor Zone
To further protect Studland Bay’s seagrass meadows, the MMO introduced a Voluntary No Anchor Zone in 2021. This is an area where boaters are encouraged to avoid anchoring to protect the sensitive marine habitat. The zone lies off Middle and South Beaches and stretches to Old Harry Rocks.
Boaters are kindly asked to:
- Anchor outside the Voluntary No Anchor Zone where possible.
- Use the eco-moorings provided in the protected zone, which do not damage the seagrass.
- Note that anchoring is permitted in emergency situations.
The zone is clearly marked out with 22 distinctive yellow marker buoys along its seaward boundary, making it easy for visiting boaters to see when they are entering the sensitive seagrass habitat.
The marker buoys are removed each winter for cleaning and maintenance.
Image: Map of Studland Bay Conservation Zone (Marine Management Organisation)
Watch this film about how the eco-moorings are helping restore Studland's seagrass meadows. Produced by The Crown Estate.