This work, commissioned by Natural England through the LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES (Reducing and Mitigating Erosion and Disturbance Impacts affEcting the Seabed) project has surveyed the recreational activity across know seagrass sites within the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
The Solent is known as a hotspot for maritime recreational activities including boating, anchoring, angling, swimming, jet skiing, paddle boarding and more. These activities can be damaging to the seagrass and halt its recovery; therefore, it is vital to obtain a baseline of boating and recreational activity to support the ongoing management of seagrass habitats.
Through the months of August and September 2021, volunteers and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust surveyed recreational activities in and around seagrass beds at Yarmouth West, Bouldnor, Osborne Bay, Kings Quay and Langstone Harbour.
The occurrence and frequency of a number of recreational activities such as boat movements, anchoring and mooring, and activities like bait digging and dog walking were recorded, and the results are presented in this report.