150 years of Falmouth sailing tradition under threat

Finding Sanctuary and Falmouth Marine Conservation Zone consultation process badly flawed

If the Finding Sanctuary(FS) report is accepted by ministers, and the recommended St Mawes bank reference Marine Conservation Zone (MCZr)should proceed, it will do long lasting damage. It will damage, not only local, but international sailing events attracted to Falmouth because of the estuary's sheltered safe waters.

Reading the FS summary, it makes clear that anchoring in the MCZr will become a prohibited action. This implies the water ski safety area will have to go because it will no longer be able to be marked off with the existing zone marker buoys. Further, neither the anchoring of committee boats, starting lines nor windward mark will be permitted. This will have devastating consequences for Club racing in the Fal.

Without going into the details, safe starting of a fleet of powerful sailing vessels requires a race course on a windward leeward configuration and a windward start. This is not an easy task for the race officer who has limited options because of sea state, tide, water depth, wind direction, marine hazards, and commercial shipping considerations.

Walter Amos, Falmouth Week race officer writes to Ms Andrea Harvey (FS);

"Dear Ms Harvey.
I read with alarm the proposed reference area for the Fal. This area includes the only position in the Roads where it is possible to start yacht races in the prevailing south westerly winds. No other position is possible on the grounds of safety. Starting yacht races involves anchoring the committee boat at one end of the line and laying a mark at the other end. It is impossible to start races without doing so. Further we lay permanent racing marks for the duration of each racing season and these are essential to give adequate race courses. The proposal would put an end to 150 years of tradition, cause enormous resentment, and have considerable economic consequences.
As far as I can determine, the consultation with the yacht clubs has been inadequate, to put it politely (there has been NO consultation!) and I hope that this failure will be corrected forthwith. Yours sincerely
Walter Amos.
PRO Henry Lloyd Falmouth Week"

Much respected local retired GP, Dr Phil Slater, Chairman of the Falmouth Working Boat Association, writes, "I am horrified that the traditional use of the harbour by local people is under threat by this proposal". The harbour has been used as an anchorage for hundreds of years, in the past much more extensively than now, and no permanent damage has been done to the marine life, particularly the eel grass...".

More support for PoFSA comes from Richard Gates, Falmouth's Town Manager who writes:

"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
Dear Sir / Madam,
I would like to raise my serious concerns regarding the possibility of a Marine Conservation Zone being implemented in the River Fal in Falmouth Cornwall.
There are many reasons why this should not go ahead but from a sailing perspective it is as follows. It is detrimental to weekly racing which frequently use many areas of the River Fal for race markers as well as committee boats including the proposed Marine Conservation Zone. We also have many key events throughout the area such as Falmouth Week that takes place in August every year and these events bring a substantial amount of income to the local economy. The marine, leisure and retail economies are some of the key benefactors and in this challenging economic climate I simply cannot comprehend the chance of a Marine Conservation Zone going ahead in this area.
We live in a beautiful part of the country and certainly are very environmentally aware but this cannot be at the detriment of people's livelihoods and leisure when many people are working so hard to develop the area and facilities available.
Kind regards
Richard Gates

PoFSA urges anyone with concerns over the social/economic impact of the recommended Fal MCZr, in the first instance, to write to:

Andrea Harvey
Assistant Economist
Finding Sanctuary
Darts Farm
Topsham
Exeter EX3 0QH
Tel: 01392 878341
www.finding-sanctuary.org

Andrea is assisting in the preparation of Social/economic impact assessment associated with the Finding Sanctuary report.

For clarification, many PoFSA members support marine conservation but believe to be successful, conservation proposals require public acceptance.

Roger Hollingsworth, RCYC