EFTA00726588.pdf

orings and buoys Buoys are used for a variety of purposes in an MPA. including mooring boats to prevent damage to the seabed from anchors. All buoys require careful installation and proper maintenance to ensure a long life. This sheet provides guidance, with particular emphasis on the Halas embedment mooring system that is recommended for MPAs. The main uses for buoys in an MPA are for: To minimise chafing. protective sheaths. thimbles. and • Marking navigation channels. and the boundary and shackles are used at all attachment points. The Halas zones of the MPA: design ensures that the mooring line is kept off the • Marking a specific location (e.g. a wreck): seabed by a float several meters above the anchor • Mooring boats and thus eliminating the need to drop point. and away from the surface (to prevent and haul anchors. entanglement by boats) by a weight several meters below the mooring float. Colour is often used to indicate buoy purpose. and should • Anchor - Options include a single (or double for larger conform to the International Association of Lighthouses boats) stainless steel eyebolt cemented into cores (IALA) system. Colour and shape can also designate type drilled into bedrock. or a Manta Ray anchor forced into of service. such as for short stays. day use only or a cored hole in rubble or sand bottoms. An anchor overnight mooring. with spar or pole buoys to designate cone of resistance. known as a helix mooring system. boundary marks or obstructions. may also be used. screwed into the rubble or sand seabed. Anchors of cast concrete. engine blocks or Moorings are particularly important in an MPA to protect scrap metal should be avoided as they may damage the the seabed from anchor damage. especially in coral areas. seabed. and to reduce overcrowding (e.g. at popular dive sites where anchoring is prohibited and the number of buoys Mooring buoy can be limited). Fishers may use the moorings as well as Pick-up line tourist boats and competition over the buoys can be reduced by requiring different users to use different buoys or different times of day. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has both public and private moorings. the latter for regular and guaranteed access by users such as dive operators. Lead weight — • Before installation. it is thus important to estimate a— Float expected frequency and type of use and to carry out a site Polypropylene — survey (depth. seabed conditions. tidal range. currents. rope Stainless wave and wind factors). steel rods Hydraulic cement A HALAS MOORING SYSTEM Shackle —4 Halas embedment moorings are strongly recommended for MPAs. and were designed specifically to prevent environmental damage whilst providing robust and safe Rubble Mel — Bedrock mooring (see www.reefmoorings.com). •.1,5 Components •sta. • Single Double eye-bolt • Floats or buoys - 46cm diameter. made from eye-bolt (for large boats) polypropylene plastic filled with polyurethane. Manta ray anchor Moulded medium density polyethylene floats with Variations of the Halos mooring system. ultraviolet (UV) stabilisers can also be used: plastic containers are sometimes used. but UV damage significantly reduces their durability. Maintenance • Pick-up line - A small. floating. polypropylene pick- Specifications of each mooring should be recorded. All up line (with an eye-splice at the end) should be components require regular maintenance. including visual attached to the main float. The line should be 3m long inspection (using SCUBA) and immediate replacement of (rather than the standard 5m) to encourge users to worn parts. a pull test on the system and cleaning from pass their own mooring line through the eye and pay fouling. A monitoring schedule might involve: out sufficient scope. Monthly - Inspect all buoys and pick-up lines: clean pick- • Mooring line - The main anchor line should be 20% up lines of growth or replace if necessary: clean. wax and longer than the maximum high tide depth. Three- polish buoy. check for cracks and replace where needed: strand. 20mm. polypropylene line is ideal. Chain can inspect and clean exposed portions of buoy through-line be used but is not recommended for the Halas system. and replace as needed. Managing Marine Protected Areas: A TOOLKIT for the Western Indian Ocean EFTA00726588 Three months — Inspect mooring line and protective Sources of further information sheaths for wear and replace as needed: inspect shackles Breda van. A. & Gjerde. KM. 1992. The use of mooring buoys as a and mooring, especially contact area between the two. management toot Centre for Marine Conservation. Washington DC. Six months — Inspect anchor mountings and surrounding 56pp. area, checking for signs of movement: replace buoy Environmental Moorings International: www.reefmoorings.com through-line and pick-up line if system is regularly used. Twelve months — Replace pin in mooring line shackle. Gjerde. K.M. 1991. Mooring buoys and legal liability. Centre for Twenty-four months — Replace mooring line if needed. Marine Conservation. Environmental Solutions International and The World Conservation Union. 12pp. COSTS Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS) moorings project: Depending on local materials. components for a single www.mcss.sc/moorings.htm mooring might cost US$200-2000. with labour. boat use International Association of Lighthouses: www.iala-aism.org and fuel costs on top. Maintenance costs can also be information on the !ALA Maritime Buoyage System. expensive. In many WIO countries. donors have funded installation costs. Some MPAs in the Caribbean have set PADI International Project Aware: document on Mooring Buoy up 'Adopt a Mooring Buoy' programmes to raise funds. Program Planning: www.projectaware.org and dive operations often contribute financially or in kind. In the Seychelles. the MPAs themselves help to cover costs (see case study). (ASE STUDY LEGAL LIABILITY The Seychelles mooring buoy programme Since mooring buoys are expected to provide a vessel with a safe anchorage. an accident may have legal The Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS). with repercussions against those who install and maintain assistance from other organisations. is installing a them. Disclaimers in writing. with terms such as 'use at national mooring buoy system in and adjacent to MPAs. your own risk' and 'non-mandatory use' may reduce the 100 moorings and buoys (the Halas type) were purchased risk of liability but are inappropriate in an MPA that with donor funding from the Netherlands. An installation requires mooring buoy use. Insurance is possible but is training course was carried out by John Halas for about 12 usually dependent on the ability to show compliance with staff from the Marine Parks Authority. the Marine Unit of 'Best Practice'. the Department of Environment. and the MCSS. Yellow mooring buoys are designated for large boats and KEY POINTS FOR THE MPA white for smaller boats. The programme has resulted in some useful lessons learned and modifications to the ❑ Provide information on positions of buoys design. The Seychelles is the first place where Halas (particularly MPA boundary marker buoys). This embedment moorings are being used for large vessels (35m can be done through a Notice to Mariners issued length. GRT up to 250 tonnes). On Aldabra. the hard by the relevant charting institutions (e.g. Harbour limestone substrate required modification to the Master); or by marking positions (determined using installation technique. and the difficult diving conditions GPS) on charts which can then be made widely due to depth and strong currents required Nitrox diving. available and lodged with local authorities (e.g. Police, District Administration, Fisheries Officer). Following initial installation, a public and stakeholder Disseminate information on mooring buoys and workshop was held to develop a framework for further boundary markers, and their purpose, widely to installations and maintenance. A Mooring Stakeholder reduce conflict. Steering Committee, comprising agency and MPA Endeavour to install moorings even if it requires representatives. was established to oversee the long-term securing external funds. process. The Marine Parks Authority and the NGOs Provide written guidance and training (if required) running the MPAs at Aldabra. Aride and Cousin maintain on the use of mooring buoys for all boat operators the moorings. Under a memorandum of understanding and ensure a proper maintenance schedule to with the MCSS. the MPAs are responsible for routine reduce accidents and minimise repairs. maintenance with MCSS responsible for six monthly Establish a monitoring programme to determine the inspections and other essential maintenance. Entrance use and impact of mooring buoys. and overnight mooring fees fund maintenance and Develop a fee system for use of any moorings that sometimes installation. is harmonised with other MPA user fees. Carefully examine insurance and legal liability The port and coastguard authorities were worried about issues for mooring buoy use; ensure that the MPA liability if an accident occurred to a vessel moored to a can provide evidence of proper design and buoy. Reassurance was provided through information installation, inspection and maintenance, and about the situation in other countries and by obtaining provision of clear and detailed advice on use to insurance. The buoys are now serving their immediate boat operators, based on 'Best Practice'. purpose. providing a much-needed service in many areas used by tourist boats and yachts. Managing Marine Protected Areas: A TOOLKIT for the Western Indian Ocean EFTA00726589