Looe Bay Holds One of the South West’s Largest Seagrass Meadows

Beneath the water in Looe Bay sits something most people passing through the harbour will never see. One of the largest known seagrass meadows in the South West grows on the seabed there, and a new project is working to keep it that way.

A collaboration between Looe Harbour Commissioners and the Ocean Conservation Trust has set out to protect the meadow by reducing the pressure boats put on the seabed.

New buoys mark a no-anchor zone

This spring, Blue Meadows Sensitive Habitat Marker Buoys were installed to highlight areas of seagrass within Looe Bay. The buoys, produced by marine navigation specialists Hydrosphere, mark a voluntary no-anchor zone. Water users are being encouraged to avoid anchoring in those areas, which should reduce damage to the seabed below.

Moorings that float above the seabed

Three Advanced Mooring Systems have also gone in. Designed as a low-impact alternative to traditional anchoring, these moorings suspend their chains above the seabed using mid-water floats. That keeps the chains from dragging across sensitive habitat while staying safe and practical for the boats that use them.

Both measures form part of the Ocean Conservation Trust’s Blue Meadows programme, which works along the south coast alongside coastal communities to protect seagrass.

Why seagrass matters

Seagrass meadows store large amounts of carbon, support a wide range of marine life and help stabilise coastlines. They keep seas and the communities around them healthy.

But these habitats are disappearing. The UK is estimated to have lost more than 40% of its seagrass since the 1940s. Pollution, physical disturbance from anchoring, bottom trawling, dredging and coastal development have all played a part.

Eden Stevens, Blue Meadows Community Engagement Officer for the Ocean Conservation Trust, said: “Looe is home to a remarkable seagrass meadow, one of the largest known in the south west. It is fantastic to be working alongside Looe Harbour Commissioners to safeguard this important habitat by reducing impacts to the seabed, while supporting the livelihoods of Looe’s community.”

‘At the heart of our jurisdiction’

Dave Bond, Looe Harbour Commissioner, said: “Looe Harbour Commissioners are proud to support the vital work Blue Meadows is undertaking to protect and restore the seagrass meadows within Looe Bay. Looe is a small but thriving port, home to both commercial and leisure vessels. This habitat lies at the heart of our jurisdiction, and protecting it is essential to the long-term health of our marine environment. We recognise the importance of this project and are committed to working together to help these valuable ecosystems thrive for generations to come.”