Posted on July 6, 2022
A project to protect the “largest site of seagrass” on Jersey’s coastline has begun.
Members from the Ports of Jersey, the government, Jersey Marine Conservation, Blue Marine Foundation and users of the bay teamed together to protect the “special and biodiverse rich habitat” at St Catherine’s Bay.
Seagrass acts as a habitat for many species and provides coastal protection to help oxygenate the ocean, Ports of Jersey said, external.
Projects and Environment Manager Louise Stafford said it wanted to restore the bay in light of climate change.
She said: “We want to protect the marine environment within the deep-water site in a way that will be beneficial for everyone.
“One way we are hoping to do this is through the fair and adaptable administration of moorings within the deep-water site.”
Ms Stafford said mooring and anchoring had caused “significant damage” to the area.
“Studies have highlighted that traditional mooring systems and anchoring cause significant damage to the seagrass and erosion to the seabed by the mooring chain.”
The port authority removed unused moorings in the area, with the marine conservation collecting data and completing dive surveys across sites where the moorings had been.
Management of the moorings will be explored in the next stages of the project.
