Solent Water Quality and Boating

In June 2019, the Environment Agency and Natural England began a project on boating and water quality in the Solent, Sussex and Poole Harbour. Its aim was to look at ways to to change recreational boating behaviour, and improve waste disposal facilities to reduce the risk of pollution from discharges of ‘black water’. It is important to tackle the sources of bacterial contamination as it can put peoples’ health at risk, and effect local communities and the economy, when any one of the Solent's 22 bathing beaches or 18 shellfish harvesting areas are impacted. The project has now hosted two workshops and the outputs can be viewed below. The Solent Forum is assisting with the project delivery and publicity.

Workshop 20 October 2020

There is a great deal of enthusiasm to contine to work together as a ‘Community of Practice’ and keep the momentum going to improve water quality from recreational boating related activities in the Solent & Poole Harbour area. A second workshop, a virtual event, was held in October 2020 where we shared some of the great initiatives that have been taken forward, and collated information that will help us make the steps towards achieving the changes needed.

Workshop Outputs

• Workshop recording: https://zoom.us/rec/share/YD16aJIFUTf_h2FTwE5U6zIJQ7aVGPWmEi8Ybylur4yK13pPfLf88t_t3SvttntI.4x44RBaaPUh_wg0w
• Learning lessons from the Baltic Sea - RYA
• ‘Love your Harbour’ engagement campaign - Dorset Coastal Forum
• The ‘Love your Harbour’ campaign material is freely available on the Dorset Coast and Seas Litter Free website. The animation can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v87tjAil-Kk.
• Mobile pump out facilities - Boatfolk marinas
• Meeting notes
• Progress Notes since June 2019 Workshop

Workshop Resources from June 2019

• Natural England presentation – ‘Boating and water quality - setting the scene’
• Green Blue’s presentation – ‘Love where you sail campaign – history, successes, lessons learnt’
• Natural England Social Scientists presentation - Behavior change
• ISM model - handout
• ISM and EAST workshop notes
• Workshop supplementary notes
• Workshop pledges
• Delegate list

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