Manly MP James Griffin has launched a petition calling for regulation change to the marine protection zone around Cabbage Tree Bay. This follows continued community concern over boat anchors causing damage to seagrass, an important part of the reserve’s ecosystem.
The local MP said Manly Observer’s recent article highlighting issues, along with continued community pressure, gave the long-standing issue a nudge.
He has launched this petition calling on public support to amend the current aquatic reserve regulations at Cabbage Tree Bay to provide better protections.
Asked why he needed to petition his own party, he said it was an important step in convincing the relevant departments and ministers it was an issue the community wanted action on.
Image: @JamesGriffinMP
Mr Griffin said action was needed to protect the precious but fragile ecosystems that have served as a diving and snorkeling draw card to people across Sydney, following repeated incidences of seagrass damage from boat anchors in the bay.
“The issue we are finding is important sea grass is being ripped up by anchors of boaters unaware of the potential damage they are causing.” Mr Griffin said.
Currently the regulation of Cabbage Tree Bay Marine Sanctuary allows boats to anchor in the bay for safe haven in areas where this is no seagrass. The grass, which typically grows at no deeper than 8 meters below surface, is often inadvertently destroyed by boat anchors as day trippers stop by on sunny days.
“I am seeking community support to extend the marine sanctuary further around the bay to Blue Fish Point and amend the regulation making it clear that anchoring is prohibited in the bay area where sea grass exists,” Mr Griffin said.
What “make it clear” actually means is still open for interpretation, but what many locals have observed is that currently measures haven’t worked.
The NSW Government has previously sought public consultation on a plan to extend the Marine Sanctuary in 2019. “We received clear feedback for the need to protect the bay and strike the balance between boat users and swimmers alike. It’s time we put that into action,” he said.
From our previous coverage:
About the Bay
Cabbage Tree Bay has been an Aquatic Reserve since 2002 following extensive campaigning from Council representatives and local marine experts and enthusiasts. However, the Department of Primary Industries tells us that boating activities have remained permissible there in all areas except for the swimming zone off Shelly Beach.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI – Fisheries) manages the aquatic reserve, while Transport for NSW (TfNSW) manages boating related activities. Northern Beaches Council looks after everything else such as foreshore maintenance, recreation bookings, environmental management, and general compliance.
While boats are allowed to enter and anchor, they must not do so on the delicate sea grass on the reserve’s ocean floor, a vital part of the eco-system for the reserve’s marine life. The issue, say local divers, is that boaters are repeatedly ripping up the sea grass either through negligence or ignorance, citing they are unable to see whether there is sea grass below the boat or were never informed it was a rule.
Our image above is from a day in March when there were numerous boats throughout the bay, some allegedly anchored in banned areas. Just for good measure, we are told someone also tried fishing. It was reported to authorities.
“Boaters should avoid anchoring in seagrass beds as harming marine vegetation, including seagrass, is prohibited in aquatic reserves and throughout the NSW marine estate,” a joint statement from Fisheries and Transport stated. However, our request for information on the number of fines ever issued for sea grass damage at the reserve wasn ot answered.
“There are patches of seagrass in Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, but there are also sandy areas of seafloor that can be used for anchoring,” their joint statement continued.
Who cares about grass ?
Seagrass is one of the most important ecosystems on this planet, vital to the overall health of the ocean, according to this fascinating explainer.
A map of sea grass areas has been provided to us from Marco Bordieri from divers’ group Viz. They mapped the seagrass to share the vital info with their members.
“The regulation of the marine reserve prohibits the boats from anchoring on seagrass, but without providing boaters with evidence of where the seagrass is, the regulation is meaningless,” he said.
Constant confrontations between boats and regular reserve users
One diver, Em, captured the below footage of a boat anchored in the protected sea grass in February. She said the person operating the boat was furious when she asked him to move.
“I asked him to remove his anchor as it’s not legal… he thought I was lying and asked how he would know where to throw the anchor as he couldn’t see the bottom, which they all say,” the diver recalled. “It just needs to change. Either ban boats completely or add one or two anchor points in a safe spot away from swimmers and seagrass,” she said.
Regular CTB diver Peter Hutchins has shared several images showing damage to sea grass from anchors on social media this year. He disagreed with arguments that boats needed access to the bay in order to find “safe harbour” when the weather turned wild.
“If a boater needs shelter they should seek out the biggest harbour in the world – if they can’t find Sydney Harbour they shouldn’t be boating!”
On-site education programs are run by the Friends of Cabbage Tree Bay (now council managed) and include information on how people can continue to enjoy the aquatic reserve while respecting and protecting its ecological values.
Cathy Griffin, a former Manly councillor, was one of the founding members of the Friends of CTB when it started about a decade ago. The group worked with DPI and Council to install the current interpretive signage and place volunteers in the area on weekends to remind people of the rules and educate visitors to the special nature and conditions of the reserve.
Ms Griffin said she did not support the idea of putting permanent buoys or anchor points in the sand and would rather an outright ban.
“The regulation should be amended to prohibit motorised vessels in Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve,” she said. “Anyone wanting to take their boat into the reserve can seek permission for their activity or event – safe harbour remains, but only for emergencies, not hanging out there all day.”
It is a sentiment echoed by many in the local diving industry, who say hundreds of swimmers and boats don’t mix.
Manly Observer spoke with a Fisheries employee who said there is currently no precedent for banning boats in reserves. “Why shouldn’t people in boats have the same rights to enjoy the area like everyone else,” they told us, unofficially.
Some action underway
We are not aware of any active efforts from local or state government to ban boats from the Bay, but there are plans to improve education of reserve rules for all users.
A report to Northern Beaches Council in March (Requested by Manly ward councillor Pat Daley), said Fisheries would be installing education signage throughout the Northern Beaches and at Cabbage Tree Bay, in collaboration with Council. It will highlight “the importance of threatened and protected species as part of their Marine Estate Management Strategy.”
“Council will continue to liaise with Fisheries to support community awareness of the regulations regarding the Reserve in order to achieve improved conservation outcomes. Council has [also] requested seagrass mapping be undertaken by Fisheries at the next opportunity, to review any impacts,” the report states.
Divers’ paradise
The report also looked at the impacts of frequent diving excursions in the bay, with Cr Pat Daley remarking in December that he was concerned about the number of divers on the site “trampling marine life”. As a result, Council and Fisheries are developing a code of conduct that will require scuba diving and snorkelling businesses to comply with ‘no take’ regulations and minimise harm to the environment.
But divers say they are the ones keeping the bay protected; they are usually the ones posting to social media concerned that boat anchors have damaged the seagrass or alerting rescue groups when turtles swallow fishing line or balloon debris.
Deborah Dickinson-Smith runs a dive travel agency called Diveplanit. She says Shelly Beach is consistently in the top three pages visited on their website each month – and they cover everything from Galapagos to the Maldives.
“The bay really is so busy now, with swimmers, snorkelers, free divers and scuba divers, that boats really are much more a concern than they used to be,” she explains.
“They should not be allowed to anchor in the marine reserve at all – it’s high time this ruling was reviewed. The argument in the past was that it was required as a safe haven from inclement weather, but usually we see boats anchored when conditions are perfect. Another argument is that the surf club requires access to attend rescues – but surely they could be treated as an exemption?”
You can read more about rules and regulations governing our aquatic reserves and marine parks here.
