Anchor chains damaging sea bed

[Michael Black]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-57509931
Interesting article showing another unforeseen effect of this virus.
Regards Michael

[Tony Taylor]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-57509931
Interesting article showing another unforeseen effect of this virus.
Regards Michael

so what about all the boats that wreck the seabed to catch scallops, big business along the south coast; anchor chains will only drag a defined arc, not continuous lines back and forth across the sea bed, then off to another area to the same. .

[Doc Vernon]

Reading this makes one wonder now, as i watched on TV that they are now beginning to lay what is called Sea horse Hotels on the Sea Beds to help save the Sea Horses! These are Metal cages thrown into the Sea and then Divers go down and secure them with Long Metal Stakes! Will this also now affect the Ocean Beds! Just a thought! Although i feel it is a really good idea on saving a unique Sea Life!
Cheers

[happy daze john in oz]

So why are they anchored , there must be plenty of berths around UK ports lying Idle use them. Oh I suppose they can sit at anchor for free?

You got it in one Lewis, the mighty dollar wins again!

[Doc Vernon]

So why are they anchored , there must be plenty of berths around UK ports lying Idle use them. Oh I suppose they can sit at anchor for free?

Lewis mate dont think they would get too much for Seahorse Cages , too small and under the Sea! LOL

[Ivan Cloherty]

So why are they anchored , there must be plenty of berths around UK ports lying Idle use them. Oh I suppose they can sit at anchor for free?

No they cannot anchor everywhere for free, in most port defined anchorage areas they have to pay port and light dues. Ports will not allow them to lay alongside vacant berths (if any) because of covid restrictions and ensuing security costs. There are few places that can accommodate more than one of these 1000 m +/- vessels at at a time. Portland has only one or two berths and these are used on a rotational basis for vessels to take on victuals, fuel, water, discharge sewage and waste etc. A lot of vessels use the south and especially SW coast anchorages because places such as Torbay and Lyme bays protect them from the prevailing SW, W and NW winds which blow at hooligan levels in this area. As Tony said these vessels cause far less damage than local fishermen and weekend sailors in abundance round here.

I bet these people who complain have ceased eating fish n chips, or have stopped their expensive scallop starters and nor ceased extolling the virtues of eating mussels and oysters for virility prowess.

[vic mcclymont]

Don't see Greenpeace criticising the two Dutch super trawlers which are allowed to operate in th channel.
Both the Africa and William van deZee are over 7,000 and 9,000 tonnes and use bottom scaring techniques to catch fish.
The environmental damage the cause to the seabed is enormous, but nothing can be done as they are licenced.
Vic

[Ivan Cloherty]

Ah! Lewis! seems you do not recognise tongue in cheek statements anymore, apart from being an ex trawler man(boy) I also live under a mile from rope mussel farms and oyster beds, which I see on my walks, so am aware of what is what in that particular sphere.

Torquay, Teignmouth, and Brixham are not geared for supplying bunkers, FW etc at anchorage so large vessels have to depart to ports which have these facilities. Masters of the cruise ships here say that they prefer this system as it gives their navigators and engineers chance to discover operating failures that may not show up at anchorage, I will take their word for it.

Comparing an oil crisis with tanker lay-ups may not be the best simile for passenger lay-up and readiness. I am sure that better commercial brains than my own, and dare I be so bold as to say yours also, have weighed up all the pros and cons of their current methods and also any alternatives and have decided that the path they have chosen is perhaps the most commercially advantageous to their particular needs.

Anyway the moaners will have to get used to the big boys being here, as according to our local MP, the 'Queen Victoria' is going to grace our bay for a few months yet, and with a bit of luck, it will give our special shipping correspondent time to ascertain that not all floating objects are tankers