Recreation : Guidelines : Water Skiing : Summary

Summary of environmental impacts

The launching of craft from designated access points is likely to have minimal impact on marine features except where it involves trampling and scouring of the feature.

The launching of craft from informal access points may result in compaction and erosion of feature and damage to vegetation.

The seasonal nature of water skiing and the small number of craft used exclusively for the activity, would suggest that the impact of engine emissions in coastal areas is negligible.

Many dedicated water ski craft use propane fuel which has fewer hydrocarbon emissions than conventionally fuelled craft.

Noise disturbance is largely an amenity issue, but it may impact upon seals and dolphins, although there is limited evidence to support this.

There is little research on the impact of water skiing on wildlife other than wildfowl, or on summer populations of wildfowl.

Because of the seasonal nature of water skiing and the relatively small number of sites where it takes place, disturbance to wildlife tends to be localised.

Where disturbance to wildlife by water skiing has been observed, it ranges from the birds taking to flight, to redistribution around the site or desertion of the site.

The British Water-ski Federation have observed that there is no sediment disturbance by water ski boats in water areas where the depth is greater than two meters.

Issue

mSAC Feature

Low flushing estuaries

Fast flushing estuaries

Mud and sand flats not covered by sea water at low tide

Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water at all times

Low flushing large shallow inlets and bays

Fast flushing large shallow inlets and bays

Reefs

Lagoons

Submerged or partly submerged sea caves

Grey seal

Common seal

Bottlenose dolphin

Launching1

w

w

w

m

m

m

     

m

m

m

Anchoring2

m

m

m

m

m

m

     

m

m

m

Swing mooring berthing3

m

m

m

m

m

m

     

m

m

m

Marina berthing

see marina fact file

Engine emissions

m

m

m

m

m

m

     

m

m

m

Noise disturbance

                 

w

w

w

Disturbance to wildlife4

w *

w *

w *

m

w *

w *

     

w *

w *

m

Erosion and turbidity5

w

m

m

m

w

m

           

 

Key to impacts

Blank Square - not applicable

m - minimal

w - observable, likely to be location specific

w * - observable at certain times, minimal at other times

l - appreciable

 

Notes

  • physical impact on feature

  • minimal as anchoring very rarely occurs

  • anchor drag and maintenance activities carried out at low tide

  • presence of craft in proximity to wildlife

  • dependent on depth of water and speed of craft

 

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