NO-ANCHOR zones will be introduced in Studland as part of a new scheme to protect seahorses and seagrass.

The new Studland Bay Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) Habitat Protection Strategy is being introduced by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to protect sensitive seagrass and seahorses.

A voluntary no-anchor zone will be introduced in two stages to protect the seagrass habitat and the species that it supports.

From December 17, 2021, an interim no anchor zone will commence protecting the core seagrass habitat off South Beach.

Then, from June 1, 2022, the interim no anchor zone will be extended to cover a larger area of seagrass off South Beach.

Alongside this, the strategy provides guidance about moorings which will support users of the bay in applying for marine licenses to install advanced mooring systems which are an environmentally friendly alternative to anchoring or using traditional moorings in seagrass.

Neil Garrick-Maidment, from The Seahorse Trust, said: “All measures to protect Studland’s seagrass and its seahorse population are welcome.

“Together with marina group boatfolk, The Seahorse Trust recently installed ten eco-moorings in the bay, which allow the boating community to continue enjoying the site without dropping anchors and damaging seagrass habitats.

“I am delighted by the hugely positive response our eco-moorings have received and hope that these ten are the first of many more to come – protecting Studland Bay is only possible if we work in partnership with nature.”

Seagrass plays a vital role in the health of the UK’s waters - the density of the grasses causes the water currents to slow down and allows nutrients to settle, in turn attracting more wildlife.

Additionally, it has been calculated that seagrass is responsible for 15 per cent of the ocean’s total carbon absorption.

It was decided that the no anchor zone would be voluntary based on feedback from stakeholders. This will give users of the bay the opportunity to take ownership and work collaboratively, with the MMO and each other, to ensure Studland Bay MCZ is protected.

The MMO will be liaising with local groups to raise awareness of the voluntary measure. The MMO will develop plans to monitor and review the voluntary measure, alongside partners. The MMO will inform key stakeholders about how they can participate in reviews.

The MMO have thanked everyone who participated in the development of this new approach and said that feedback from the public had been ‘extremely valuable’.