Possible restrictions on anchoring in Strangford Lough 

RYA contends that there is a lack of robust scientific evidence to support anchoring ban.

The RYA has written to the Northern Ireland Minister of the Environment, Alex Attwood MLA (October 2011) to challenge the proposed ban on anchoring in Strangford Lough Northern Ireland.

The RYA is asking for clarification of the ‘robust scientific evidence’ on which Minister Attwood’s intentions to introduce restrictions on anchoring are being based.

Minister Attwood announced in July 2011 that he intends to restrict anchoring in Strangford Lough following a report issued by the Department of the Environment (DOE) and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), into the restoration of Horse Mussel reefs in Strangford Lough.

However, the RYA contends that the report, produced by Queen’s University Belfast (May 2011) does not identify the anchoring of recreational vessels nor the laying of racing marks as posing a threat to the recovery of Horse Mussels in the Lough.

In areas such as Strangford Lough, where restrictions are proposed, the RYA’s policy position is that such restrictions:

• Should only be introduced if sound scientific evidence confirms that a particular protected feature and vessel anchoring cannot reasonably co-exist in a particular area.
• Should be confined to the specific parts of an area in which anchoring and the protected habitat or wildlife feature cannot reasonably co-exist.
• Should not be imposed unless it can be demonstrated that such a restriction will be effective in protecting the habitat or a wildlife feature. should not be imposed unless it can be demonstrated that such a restriction will be enforceable and enforced.
• Should not be imposed unless the area in which it is to be applied is properly marked on navigational charts and/or by physical marking such as buoyage.
• Should not be imposed unless appropriate alternative facilities or management measures are available or made available in the locality in which the restriction is to be applied.  

Strangford Lough is designated a Special Area of Conservation and is also a Marine Nature Reserve.

The proposed anchoring ban would be below the 10m contour line between Castle Island to Gransha Point in the North and the Southern tip of Island Taggart to Kate’s Pladdy in the south.