Aquaculture,
the cultivation of aquatic organisms, particularly for food, includes
cultivation of finfish, shellfish, and marine algae.
The RYA seeks to ensure
that accurate account is taken of recreational boating activity and associated
concerns when fishing and aquaculture activity is planned.
The RYA
position on fishing and aquaculture outlines potential issues for recreational
boaters associated with aquaculture facilities and fishing gear, including
possible impacts on navigational safety.
As the number of coastal and offshore aquaculture
farms around the UK increases, it is important that the RYA remains engaged
with developers, planners and licensing authorities to ensure safety of
navigation is given full consideration and is not compromised. The RYA believes that the threat to recreational boats can be minimised by consulting with stakeholders at an early stage, by following UKHO guidelines for charting static hazards, and that all
hazards should be marked and lit in accordance with the General Lighthouse Authority
requirements. Risk assessment should take into account recreational boating activity specific to the area, such as information from the RYA UK Coastal Atlas
of Recreational Boating.
More information on types of fishing and aquaculture, navigational safety, considerations for the locating of future fishing and aquaculture faciltiies, as well as their decommissioning, can be found in the RYA position on fishing and aquaculture.
Advice for recreational sailors
Fish farming makes an important contribution to
local economies, particularly in remote areas. When well-planned, aquaculture has
no adverse impact on recreational sailing and indeed there can sometimes be
benefits from sharing facilities.
If you sail in places where fish, shellfish or
seaweed is farmed - such as the west coast of Scotland, the Northern Isles and
Northern Ireland - you will find useful information below about
identifying and sailing around the farms. Depending on where you sail in the UK you may encounter farms for
salmon and other finned fish, mussels, oysters and even seaweed.
Be prepared
Fish farms are not always where you expect them to
be as charts, even electronic ones, are not always up to date. New fish farm
licences can be granted, old ones surrendered and existing farms can rotate
their cages between different sites.
As a result, it
is prudent to download and carry with you the Notices to Mariners giving chart
updates for your cruising area. It is also important to be particularly
alert in conditions of poor visibility as marker lights for the aquaculture
farms may not always be lit.
Give farms a wide berth
Fish cage anchors tend to extend outwards beyond
the cages themselves but are not generally a hazard. It is wise however to give
the cages a generous berth, particularly when a workboat is present. In a few
places a feed store on land is connected to the cages by pipes near the surface
so it is best to avoid passing between cages and the shore unless you are certain
there are no feed pipes obstructing your passage.
Fish are generally brought to and taken away from
fish farms in “well boats” which are small, fast and manoeuvrable coasters.
Keep a good lookout even in remote sea lochs.
Mussel farms often consist of ropes suspended from
a cable supported by large grey buoys (grey to reduce the visual impact for
tourists) and as the mussels mature the buoys sink lower in the water. It is therefore
inadvisable to try to sail through a mussel farm or between the buoys.
Dinghy cruisers and yachtsmen anchoring or coming ashore should note that there are
a few oyster farms in shallow water and they may be unmarked. Hazards can include steel cages (trestles) or
steel rods just under the surface.
Stay alert
It is perfectly safe to sail in waters with
aquaculture farms. Good seamanship, particularly with regard to keeping
watch, is the key.
Please inform the RYA at cruising@rya.org.uk
about problems you experience with aquaculture farms, particularly if they are
not well marked or lit.
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