Mussel-ing in 

Successful RYA intervention maintains adequate sea room for sailing and racing in St Austell Bay, Cornwall

Our marine environment is used extensively and with the number of developments such as offshore energy and aquaculture sites continuing to rise, sea space – and the safety it affords boaters – is at a premium. Last year alone 3.5 million of us took to the water on about 18.5 million occasions for leisure purposes.

The RYA, and its regional network of volunteers, works on behalf of its members to help ensure new developments in our marine environment do not negatively impact sailing, powerboating, racing and cruising activity. To this end, we review hundreds of planning and marine licence applications each year in order to assess whether they pose a risk to navigational safety or impinge on the public right of way.

A small percentage of the applications we review have the potential to have a negative impact. Of these, most of the negative impacts can be mitigated through discussions with the applicant and often result in amendments to the application.

Earlier this year, two new mussel farms and two extensions to existing farms in St Austell Bay were proposed through the marine licensing process. Due to the requirement for ropes and surface floats to suspend the mussel lines, these aquaculture sites would essentially have excluded recreational boating from large areas of the bay.

The RYA, along with clubs operating near the proposed sites, recognised the potential for these sites to both present a navigational hazard and to exclude boating from these previously accessible areas. We raised these concerns with the Marine Management Organisation, the marine licensing authority in England, and worked with local clubs to propose suitable mitigation.

The changes agreed included relocating one proposed site within the bay to an alternative area less used by recreational boats, a boundary change to one of the extensions and the removal of another site which could not be mitigated which also had negative impacts for the local harbour.

As a result of our intervention, the proposals in their revised form now address the concerns raised by the local clubs. All proposed sites, if granted a marine licence, will still be subject to the marking and lighting requirements of Trinity House Lighthouse Services.

If you are concerned about a UK development near your club which you feel might have a negative impact on your activities, let us know by contacting the RYA Planning & Environment Team on 02380 604 228 or send an email to environment@rya.org.uk.