Share your views: new survey seeks to understand attitudes towards Advanced Mooring Systems
The UK-wide survey is being delivered by marine conservation organisation Project Seagrass and aims to gather the first UK-wide insights into attitudes towards Advanced Mooring Systems. The short, anonymous survey is open for responses until 18th March 2027 and the findings will be used to inform the development of sustainable marine infrastructure that works for both people and nature. Participate in Research Coastal users are invited to share their views as part of a new survey surrounding seagrass conservation, anchoring, and Advanced Mooring Systems. The UK-wide research is being conducted by marine conservation organisation Project Seagrass and aims to provide the first UK-wide insights into knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes towards Advanced Mooring Systems or eco-moorings. Seagrass typically occurs in shallow, sheltered waters along our coastlines, often co-existing with locations popular for boating and other marine activities. Seagrass meadows enhance enjoyment of time spent on the water in a number of ways; they improve water quality, provide a haven for wildlife, and support fishing activity by providing nursery habitat for many fish species. Yet, boating activity can pose a risk to seagrass meadows primarily as a result of physical damage caused by anchors, chains, or propellors, all of which can cause physical damage within meadows. Repeated disturbances can fragment and alter long-established seagrass meadows, reducing this important marine habitat and diminishing the benefits provided by the seagrass. Drone imagery depicting mooring scars within seagrass meadow An Advanced Mooring System prepared for installation at Seaview, Isle of Wight Advanced Mooring Systems (AMS) are one approach being utilised to protect seagrass meadows whilst also supporting boating activity. Designed to protect sensitive marine habitats such as seagrass meadows, AMS use elasticated or riser systems which keep chains from scouring and/or damaging the seabed. With an increase in interest in Advanced Mooring Systems, Project Seagrass is undertaking research to better understand current knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes surrounding these systems. Anouska Mendzil, Senior Science Officer at Project Seagrass and the study lead said: “Advanced Mooring Systems are increasingly being considered as a way of reducing the physical impacts of anchoring and mooring on sensitive marine habitats like seagrass, but their success depends on much more than the technology itself. We need to understand what boaters know and understand about these systems, how they perceive them, and what factors influence their willingness to use them. By gathering views from across the UK, this research will provide an important evidence base and help us identify gaps that could help inform future research, conservation approaches, policy and management and the development of sustainable marine infrastructure that works for both people and nature.” The short, anonymous survey opened on 18th September 2026 and is open for responses until the 18th March 2027. The results will be used to produce an open-access peer-reviewed paper alongside being shared on the Project Seagrass website. . By taking part in the survey you are contributing to research on sustainable marine infrastructure. Participate in Research