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Three new eco-moorings have been installed in St Catherine's harbour as part of a project to protect seagrass beds from damage caused by traditional boat moorings.
Ports of Jersey said the newly installed moorings use elastic cables instead of traditional metal chains, which can destroy seagrass beds as they move with the tides and create bare patches in the underwater ecosystem.
This brings the total number of eco-moorings in the harbour to five, following a pilot project last year.
Pictured: Seagrass can absorb carbon 35 times more than tropical rainforests. (Blue Marine/Matt Jarvis)
The use of alternative mooring systems reflects an increasing awareness of the significance of the underwater plant, which can capture carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.
Head of Maritime Operations at Ports of Jersey, Louise Stafford said: "We are working to prevent the damage caused by traditional moorings and anchoring by using eco-mooring systems which protect the seagrass and prevent erosion.
"The provision of visitor moorings will provide an alternative to anchoring in the bay and will ultimately contribute to protecting the seagrass beds."
Pictured: The newly installed moorings use elastic cables instead of traditional metal chains. (Normandy Trader)
The initiative was sparked by Kevin McIlwee, chair of Jersey Marine Conservation, who identified the potential to reduce seabed damage in a paper he wrote three years ago as part of his MSc degree.
FOCUS: Could St Catherine's become Jersey's first 'green harbour'?
Project to restore seagrass in St Catherine's Bay
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