Gerrans Bay Marine Group

The REACT Gerrans Bay Marine Group was formed in early 2024 as a direct consequence of the seaweed farm applications for Gerrans Bay. While not opposed to seaweed farming in principle, REACT felt that the proposals were much too large and unregulated and presented a risk to the beauty and the ecology of Gerrans Bay. The group was therefore formed to develop a position and a contingency plan in case similar proposals were made in the future.

 Gerrans Bay Marine Group's Mission Statement:

To promote and improve the health and sustainability of Gerrans Bay, and protect it from large scale exploitation for seaweed farming or other corporate interests through improved knowledge, informed activities and local engagement for the benefit of local residents, local livelihoods and visitors.

In order to achieve this aim, we have formulated six sets of actions for implementation over the next five years, as follows:

• Promotion of environmentally-appropriate mooring practices for local and visiting boats
• Protection for the natural environment of the Bay (enhanced protected status, improved awareness and engagement of locals and visitors)
• Productive use of the natural resources of the Bay without compromising the environment, to the benefit of local communities and at a scale acceptable by all stakeholders
• Mapping and quantification of the Bay’s natural resources, including changes that have happened over time
• Use of knowledge gained to safeguard and improve the health of Gerrans Bay for wildlife, locals and visitors
• Investment and engagement of local communities and visitors through awareness and involvement such that Gerrans Bay is an exemplar of nature recovery and community engagement

Gerrans Bay stretches from Nare Head to Zone Point and includes ecologically important habitats such as seagrass and maerl, as well as resident seal populations and visiting dolphins. It is well used by locals and visitors for swimming, sailing and paddleboarding as well as by local fishermen. Threats to the Bay include pollution from sewage and runoff, scallop dredging and bottom trawling, over-fishing and the potential for poorly regulated commercial activities. Gerrans Bay is included within the Falmouth Bay to St Austell Bay Special Area of Protection for three bird species (black-throated divers, great northern divers and Slavonian grebes), but otherwise has no protection for other marine species.

The Group meets regularly and is keen to work with neighbouring environmental and marine groups with a similar outlook such as Wild Roseland, the Three Bays Wildlife Group, the Fal and Helford Special Area of Conservation, the National Trust and Cornwall Wildlife Trust. 

The Group also acknowledges the synergy between its activities and, amongst others, the Big Seaweed Search conducted annually by Wild Roseland, Shoresearch surveys, Seaquest Southwest and the Your Shore network run by Cornwall Wildlife Trust, beach clean activities coordinated by the National Trust, and the stream water quality surveys being conducted by the REACT Water Quality Group.

We hope that as the Group builds its knowledge of the Bay and expands its relationship with the wide range of Bay users and other stakeholders there will be opportunities for community activities aimed at improving the health, sustainability, productivity and enjoyment of Gerrans Bay.

Barry Pound, Chair 

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