Ceredigion Recreation Boating Management Plan 2010 - 2020
SCOPE AND AIM OF PLAN
The Plan aims to identify actions to achieve a sustainable boating management system in an internationally important marine wildlife area. Tourism development along the Ceredigion coastline has been identified in a number of Welsh Assembly Government strategies as it is considered that the environment offers unrealised economic potential if developed sensitively. The plan will therefore consider the issue of boat disturbance to wildlife, the effectiveness of management to date, and how this can be developed. The plan aims to make a contribution to meeting the Council’s Biodiversity Duty under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.
SUMMARY
The inshore waters of Ceredigion are recognised as being of international importance for wildlife, and are home to Europe’s largest population of Bottlenose Dolphins. The Council has been involved in marine protected area management and the issue of boat disturbance for nearly 20 years. It has pursued an approach of raising awareness and providing advice via a Marine Code of Conduct. The Council has been monitoring the effectiveness of this approach with its Dolphin Watch study involving local volunteers. The study has also improved our knowledge and understanding of the issue enabling us to target management more effectively. Research has highlighted areas of most importance to dolphins and areas which are less important to wildlife. The Council’s approach has shown to be working; improved trends in boats complying with the Code have been noted, particularly in recent years, along with the evidence that shows that compliance with the Code does reduce the risk of disturbance to bottlenose dolphins. Continued monitoring of code compliance, along with boat traffic levels is required, as there is evidence that boat traffic levels already suppress dolphin site use at New Quay.
Recommendations summary:
Improve guidance to skippers - amend Code of Conduct and update information at launch sites. Extend existing 8 knot speed zone between New Quay Head and Ynys Lochtyn to the bye-law area at Llangrannog. Introduce 8 knot speed guidance within 200 metres from shore between Aberporth headland & Cardigan Island. Promote boating activity, subject to suitable on-shore launch facilities and liaison, in the following areas: Aberporth - Tresaith – Penbryn - Llangrannog Llanina reef - Aberaeron Llanrhystud – Llanon Borth
1 Maintain current voluntary management approach and continue to provide education/information to skippers and develop their involvement Reduce over-reliance on external grant aid to fund agreed management Establish a sub-group of officers from the Coastal Group to collect data to investigate a workable registration scheme for consideration by Cabinet. Promote the Council’s sustainable boating management system in all its marketing material. PWC users to be required alongside all other craft to comply with the Marine Code. Develop involvement of Afon Teifi Fairways Committee, Boat clubs and Gwynedd Council’s marine unit in plan review, development and implementation Continue policy of withdrawing mooring/launching facilities from skippers that habitually fail to comply with the Code and develop involvement of boat clubs in reporting breaches. Maintain existing monitoring schemes and extend to Aberystwyth and Borth Review the plan bi-annually
.
2 1. Background:
1.1 Management of recreational boating craft to limit adverse impacts on the Bay’s protected bottlenose dolphin population has been taking place in Ceredigion since the early 1990s when the Council established the Marine Heritage Coast (MHC). A Code of Conduct was developed and given to skippers via information at launch sites, mooring-holder mail-outs, leaflets, and in the annual tide-table booklet.
1.2 In 1996 the status of the voluntary MHC changed when the area was included in the larger statutory Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This SAC, plus the Pen Llyn a’r Sarnau SAC, now cover approx. 70% of the Ceredigion coastline. Bottlenose dolphins and Atlantic Grey Seals are features of both SACs.
1.3 Potential disturbance from boating activity has been highlighted as being an issue in both SACs. Adverse impacts on dolphins may include physical injury from collisions with high-speed craft, and the more subtle effects of disturbance to dolphin behaviour that incur a net energetic loss. For example, boat interactions that cause the animals to stop feeding and disperse may reduce prey consumption and increase time spent travelling in search of prey.
1.4 The presence of bottlenose dolphins in the Bay has proved a great visitor attraction, as there are only two places in the UK that supports a resident population. The importance of tourism development along the Ceredigion coastline has been identified in a number of Welsh Assembly Government Strategies during the last decade, including the Wales Spatial Plan and the Wales Tourism Strategy. It is considered that the diversity of Central Wales’ environment offers unrealised economic potential if developed sensitively, and sustainable forms of high-quality tourism at the coast can be encouraged. Opportunities to build higher value sustainable tourism include developing nature tourism, improved visitor management at the coast, providing improvements to facilities for access to water and beaches, and making greater provision of visiting berths and yacht stations.
1.5 As a result of these developments, the Ceredigion Recreation Boating Management Scheme was devised. The aim of the Scheme is to demonstrate that wildlife and boating can co-exist in the same waters, by establishing a sustainable boating management system that caters for the needs of recreational boat users and the Bay’s marine wildlife. Many lessons have been learned from the experience
3 of the voluntary MHC and the aim is to put these into practice along the whole Ceredigion coastline.
2. Legal requirements within SACs:
2.1 Relevant public authorities are responsible for exercising their statutory duties to secure compliance with SAC objectives; this includes undertaking appropriate assessments on plans or projects that are deemed to have a “significant effect” on site features and making sure that activities that are under their management do not have an adverse effect on these sites. These assessments should ensure that any mitigation action is identified to prevent operations having an ‘adverse effect on site integrity’. The CCW is responsible for setting conservation objectives for the site features. The CCW also has a duty to advise relevant authorities on any activities that may cause deterioration or disturbance to these features of interest.
2.2 The Marine and Coastal Access Bill amends section 37 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Regulation 36 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 to enable Welsh Ministers to make conservation orders to protect European Marine Sites within Welsh territorial waters. The intention is to use these powers to manage activities that are harmful to sites that would otherwise be left unregulated, for example, recreational activity. The CCW is considering how conservation orders may be used to achieve appropriate management within an European Marine Site and so contributing to achieving favourable condition. The outcome of this work will be available in 2010 to inform future site management options.
3. Ceredigion Recreational Boating Scheme Background:
3.1 Authorisation was given by Cabinet in 2002 for officers to pursue measures to strengthen the Council’s Code of Conduct for recreational boating traffic, and to prepare a review of the seaside pleasure boat byelaws and harbour issues for further consideration. Accordingly, officers developed the Ceredigion Recreational Boating Scheme for an Objective One bid – (Measure 5:8 Support for Recreational Opportunities and Management of the Natural Environment) to cover 8 launch sites along the length of the Ceredigion coastline as well as the inshore waters of the County.
3.2 Results in 2002 of the Council’s monitoring study of recreational boating traffic along the MHC1 had indicated that the voluntary Code of Conduct was having a limited effect in terms of improvements in the
1 Ceredigion County Council, Cetacean Site Use & Boat Traffic on the Ceredigion Marine Heritage Coast, West Wales 1994–2001
4 separation distance from the dolphins and stopping rates when the animals were in close proximity. It was clear that further work was needed to communicate and promote the Code. Cabinet considered this scheme in 2003 and resolved an allocation of £93k towards it. However, the scheme did not secure funding under Measure 5:8, and officers therefore revised the scheme and obtained reduced grant aid in 2004 from the Crown Estate Marine Stewardship Fund to commence Phase 1.
3.3 Phase 1 of the Scheme was the establishment of the “Cardigan Bay Boat Place”.In May 2003, Cabinet authorised officers to utilise an under-used Council owned building on New Quay harbour to set up a small marine information centre aimed at skippers and members of the public. With the Crown Estate grant, information and displays were developed to help promote compliance to the Code of Conduct and to ensure that tourists and people launching from Cardigan Bay would know about the presence of marine wildlife and the issues related to disturbance by boats.
The Boat Place also raises awareness about the Cardigan Bay SAC, its features and related conservation issues. The Boat Place opened in May 2005 and attracts 8000 - 9000 visitors each summer from May to September. In 2007, it was nominated for a Crown Estate Marine Business Award as being an example of the best coastal community
5 initiative in the UK for a project that developed with community wide involvement.
3.4 In 2007, officers once again submitted a bid to the Crown Estate Marine Stewardship Fund to implement the final phase of the Scheme, namely:
Purchase of a patrol boat for use by the Cardigan Bay SAC officer, to play an educational role throughout the Bay Production of a recreational boating management plan to identify wildlife sensitive sites where further management may be needed, and areas where boating activity can develop Delivery of recreational boating management actions identified in SAC site plans and the Ceredigion Local Biodiversity Action Plan Development of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) by delivering the recreational boating management plan component Development of information/educational materials at launch sites (posters/leaflets) Promotion of marine wildlife tourism opportunities for land-based dolphin, seals and seabird watching by the identification of “hotspot sites”; leaflets and guided walks
Two years funding (2008-2010) was secured and the patrol boat became operational during summer 2008.
3.5 The preparation of the Ceredigion recreation boating management plan has taken place against this background of work and follows consultation with skippers and recreational boat users during the summer of 2009. The plan represents the final phase of the scheme.
4. Current management:
4.1 The main approach to management to date has been to develop and disseminate educational materials that raise awareness amongst the boating community of the Bay’s special marine wildlife, and that provides information on appropriate boating behaviour to minimise disturbance.
4.2 Three Council departments are involved in recreational boating management:
6 Highways, Properties & Works – Harbour management at Aberystwyth, Aberaeron & New Quay and management of a slipway at Borth. Harbour Masters disseminate Code of Conduct and byelaw information to mooring holders and day launches. Harbour Masters and Launch Control Officers are authorised to withdraw launching and/or mooring permits from vessels and/or individuals not observing local regulations, byelaws and the Code of Conduct.
Prospective users of Ceredigion launch facilities must: o Register with the appropriate Harbour Master or Launch Control Officer and pay the appropriate fee o Produce evidence of a valid insurance certificate and any other documentation required o Ensure the name and/or number of the craft to be launched is clearly displayed on the craft and on the accompanying tender if applicable o Ensure any pleasure craft propelled by an internal combustion engine is fitted with a suitable silencer meeting legal requirements
DESH Coast & Countryside Section - The Section developed, and is managing the Recreational Boating Scheme. The Section also provides the lead for the development of the management scheme of the Cardigan Bay SAC. Grant aid from the CCW and the Crown Estate has been secured by the Section to develop the various educational initiatives within the MHC and Cardigan Bay SAC. The Section runs the Cardigan Bay Boat Place and the SAC boat patrols, and has developed the Code of Conduct and the speed zone area between New Quay Head and Ynys Lochtyn.
Chief Executive Dept. - Responsible for bathing beach management. Beach officers/lifeguards were appointed each summer by Economic Development & Tourism but this service is now being delivered by the RNLI with funding from the department Provides legal input and drafted a Ceredigion Recreation Boating Management Plan in 2002 in response to concerns about PWC activity.
4.3 The Afon Teifi Fairways Committee manage boating activity on the Teifi under a sub-lease of the foreshore granted by the Council, employ mooring masters, and operate a patrol boat from spring to late autumn.
7 4.4 Gwynedd Council’s Harbour Master at Aberdyfi manages boating activity on the Dyfi via the Gwynedd registration scheme for all power boats and personal water craft. (2500 registered). This plus moorings and beach car-park charges generates income of £2.4 m, and there is expenditure of £2.2m. Gwynedd have four PWC patrol vessels, five patrol boats, six 4x4 vehicles, and employ thirty seasonal beach staff who have a number of duties including being able to issue fixed penalties for dog-fouling/litter etc. Gwynedd Council has four harbourmasters throughout the county and boats can only launch from these points. The Leri Boatyard has a slipway licence from CCW and there is a code of conduct. Leri water-ski club operate from there (about 60 members). The Aberdyfi boat information handout is given to members. At CCW’s Ynyslas site there is a no-launching sign in the car-park but they report it difficult to control, particularly when the seasonal wardens are not there.
5 Assessment of Current Management
5.1 Results of the 2006 and 2007 Council’s monitoring study from Mwnt to Aberystwyth, ‘Dolphin Watch’, showed an improvement in compliance with the Code. Overall compliance was good; the Code has been adhered to in around 90% of encounters annually since 2004. Compliance was highest for visitor trip boats (98% compliance). Results also show that following the Code really does reduce the risk of disturbance to bottlenose dolphins. Speedboat owners are most likely to infringe the Code, mainly because they travel at fast speeds and don’t actually notice the animals. Results of the 14 year monitoring study to 2007 were published in the peer reviewed international Journal of the Marine Biological Association in September 2009. The 2008 and 2009 data sets are currently being analysed. The records of the SAC Patrol Boat, however, indicate that this positive trend of compliance with the Code continues.
Year Days used Vessels encountered Code breaches Doing what? 9 speeding 2008 16 77 12 3 following animals 8 speeding 2009 8 following animals 40 199 18 2 close to seabird colonies Table 1: Summary of SAC Boat Patrols 2008 & 2009
The value of local volunteers being involved in the land-based monitoring programme is immense. Not only do they provide the Council with a long-term data set and feedback on how boating management is working in a robust, scientific manner, they are also helping to raise awareness. The monitoring sites are on the coastal path and at New Quay harbour and the volunteers are in an excellent position to talk with passers-by. Local skippers have also become accustomed to seeing the Dolphin Watch volunteers at these sites every summer.
8 The combination of these local volunteers, harbourmaster staff, SAC patrol boat, and Conservation team officers has meant that observed incidents in the southern part of the county can be quickly passed through to the relevant officer for follow-up action. This is an area that has been evolving and there is further scope for development, particularly in relation to the beach officers/life-guards.
5.2 Personal Water Craft policy: The Council currently has a policy of discouraging the use of Personal Water Craft along the entire Ceredigion coastline. The main issue of PWC use is the impact on bather safety and noise disturbance to other inshore recreational users. In practice the implementation of this policy has been problematic, as it is ambiguous; can only be achieved at launch sites that are controlled and staffed by the Council, and is legally unenforceable. It is worth noting in the context of this plan that from a nature conservation viewpoint no differentiation has been made between PWC’s and other fast, high-powered craft.
The main constraint on legislative reforms seeking to regulate PWC’s is the ancient common law rights of the public to navigate and fish on the foreshore. In addition the Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order proposed by the Department for Transport extends the definition of "ship" within Merchant Shipping legislation to include every description of watercraft in those provisions applying to safety, conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals and drugs and alcohol offences. The introduction of the Order has implications for PWC usage in Ceredigion allowing PWC users the right to launch from any harbour in Ceredigion subject to local byelaws.
5.3 Teifi estuary The Afon Teifi Fairways Committee 2008 report refers to their Patrol Boat completing 80 tours of duty on the river totalling 245 hours. As a result there was a marked reduction in offenders and reports of misdemeanours, with 15 logged assistance calls. Mooring masters reported no major problems within their areas and no major incidents occurred.
5.4 Dyfi estuary Gwynedd Council report that they have some problems of boats launching from the Ceredigion launch sites at Borth, the Leri, and Aberystwyth who don’t know the Aberdyfi rules. Gwynedd Council would like Ceredigion CC to have a registration scheme to help them identify boats in their area. CCW controls part of Ynyslas beach under lease from Crown.
6. Public consultation response
6.1 In April 2009 the Coast & Countryside Section wrote to all boat clubs, diving groups and coastal town/community councils as part of a major consultation of skippers and recreational boat users of the Ceredigion coastline. The purpose of the consultation was to seek
9 views on what boating management measures had worked well and what, if anything, needed changing. A press article appeared in the Cambrian News & the Tivy Side, together with an item on BBC Radio Wales. Details of the consultation were given on the Cardigan Bay SAC and Coast & Countryside Section web-sites. A total of 36 questionnaires were returned and 11 one-to-one meetings held with key organisations.
6.2 Awareness of the Cardigan Bay SAC amongst respondents was very high at 100% and the percentage of respondents listed as having a recreational boating interest was 71%.
Table 2 What further management(if any) would you like Total no. % Recreational to see in known sensitive wildlife sites responses Yes Boater % Yes
More speed restrictions (if so, where?) 31 52 33
No-stopping areas (if so, where?) 27 22 11
No go areas (if so, where?) 29 28 19
Areas where boating can be actively promoted (if so, 29 69 65 where and what type of boating activity?)
Seasonal restrictions near cliff-nesting birds (where 32 63 50 and what restrictions)
Seasonal restrictions near seal-pupping beaches 31 65 55 and caves (where and what?)
Code of Conduct. How useful do you think the current Code of Conduct is? What changes (if any) would you like to see?
More specific detail on how to behave around wildlife 30 57 50 (maximum speeds, distances etc)
Less specific detail (general guidance on behaviour 28 54 59 rather than specific maximum distances, speeds etc)
Would you like to see a standard code that applies 29 76 68 to the whole of Wales?
Does Ceredigion still need its own specific code (to 32 66 55 highlight particularly sensitive areas, for example)?
Do commercial trip boats need a separate code to 30 27 23 recreational boats?
Do any activities (kayaking, angling, powerboating etc) require a specific code? (if yes, please specify 32 44 39 which activities)
10 Current levels of awareness 100
90 All respondents
80 Recreational boaters
70
60
% 50
40
30
20
10
0 I am familiar with I have visited the I was aware that I have seen I was aware that I was aware that the current boating ‘Boat Place’ wildlife the Council runs a information panels reckless much of Cardigan Code of Conduct and boating patrol boat during at boat launch sites disturbance of Bay is designated information centre the summer dolphins, porpoises as a Special Area in New Quay and seals is a of Conservation criminal offence
Is further protectionIs further protection needed needed in sensitive in sensitive areas? areas?
80
70
60
50
% 40
30
20
10
0 More speed res trictions No-stopping areas No go areas Areas where boating Seasonal res trictions Seasonal res trictions can be actively near cliff-nesting birds near seal-pupping prom oted beaches and caves
7. Recommendations:
11 The Council’s policy of pursuing essentially a voluntary approach to the management of recreational craft appears to be working. By providing skippers and the general public with positive information about Cardigan Bay’s internationally important marine wildlife and the need to conserve it, the majority have taken these messages to heart and are playing an active part in its protection. It is clear that the majority do not want to see no-go boating areas, nor do they want areas where stopping boats to view marine wildlife is disallowed. Certainly amongst local skippers generally there is a clear understanding of the presence of sensitive marine wildlife, and a confidence that boating and wildlife can co-exist happily together. This is particularly the case in the southern part of the county. The main challenge seems to be how do we communicate to visitors the central message of the need to take care when out in boats near wildlife.
7.1 Code of Conduct improvements: As our understanding of which areas along the Ceredigion coastline are important for wildlife has improved and we are more knowledgeable about cetacean behaviour, improvements can be made to the guidance that we give to skippers whilst at sea. Specifically: Highlight headlands as especially important feeding areas for cetaceans. Remove requirement to be stationary within 100m of marine mammals (best to keep moving very slowly away) and change “slow down gradually if stopping” to “slow down gradually to minimum speed”. Add not to enter sea caves during seal pupping season (Aug- Oct inclusive). Allowing a closer approach (50m) to animals on the shore if boat is moving with minimum speed and noise. Max 15 mins. staying around animals
7.2 Speed limit zones: We know from studies that the inshore area between Aberporth and Cardigan Island is the most important area in the county for dolphins and it is the area with the highest sighting rate. A system similar to the existing 8 knot speed guidance within 200 metres from shore between New Quay Head and Ynys Lochtyn is therefore recommended between Aberporth and Cardigan Island. It is further recommended that the existing New Quay to Ynys Lochtyn speed zone is extended to the byelaw area at Llangrannog.
7.3 Activity Promotion: Support for the concept of promoting boating activity in certain areas was shown during the public consultation period. Therefore five stretches of inshore waters have been identified that are less important for wildlife where there is potential for boating activity to be developed, subject to suitable onshore facilities being available (beyond existing bathing beach byelaw areas): Aberporth - Tresaith – Penbryn - Llangrannog Llanina reef - Aberaeron Llanrhystud – Llanon
12 Borth – (Borth headland to south of Dyfi estuary)
7.4 Effective communication: Continuation of information to skippers will be important in order to pursue the policy that the more people know and understand what’s happening in the Bay the more people will want to help conserve it. Thanks to grant aid from the Crown Estate Marine Stewardship Fund the Coast & Countryside Section has been able to allocate resources to providing a number of educational and interpretation materials to skippers and the general public. These have been well received and the responses from the consultation indicate that speed limit buoys, Code of Conduct leaflets/Posters, the Cardigan Bay Boat Place, Boat Patrols, and information panels at launch sites should all be retained and updated when necessary. Ceredigion Marine Code panels have been produced in March 2010 and replace panels at the southern launch sites, and are newly sited at Aberystwyth and Borth. Gwynedd Council requested a copy of the Ceredigion Marine Code in order to adopt and disseminate the code in their county.
Consideration needs to be given as to how future education material production can be achieved under the core budgets of DESH, DHPW and CE as there has been an over-reliance on external grant aid to date. Dissemination of information should continue to be undertaken by officers from all three departments and be coordinated by the Coastal Group
All the Council’s promotional material aimed at visitors to Cardigan Bay should refer to the sustainable boating system that we have in place as being a positive asset to the area.
% How else would you like to see code of conduct information put across? % yes recreational boater At the Cardigan Bay Boat Place in New Quay 97 100 By the Harbourmasters to mooring holders and people launching 100 100 boats Notice boards at boating clubs 100 100
Through the use of a patrol boat 77 77 Leaflets and posters at caravan parks, information centres and 94 96 other tourist hotspots Buoys to mark areas with speed restrictions 97 95
Other suggestions received during public consultation:
13 Byelaws included with launch permit; regular workshops and seminars at boat clubs Talks to schools, local groups, university clubs Newspaper publicity and in area tourist newspapers Talks and presentations to user groups. More marine-specific information boards at popular coastal locations with wildlife information, Code of conduct, litter information
7.5 Licensing/Registration/Enforcement: Gwynedd County Council has demonstrated the income raising ability of its registration scheme, enabling them to put in place the necessary infrastructure to manage the area’s power boat and PWC activity. It has been previously mentioned that it is speedboats travelling at high speed that are most likely to be breaking the code of conduct and therefore be potentially causing disturbance to dolphins. Most of these craft do not have easily identifiable markings that allow officers to follow up incidents on return to shore. Whilst current boating levels in Ceredigion perhaps do not warrant a scheme quite on the scale of Gwynedd Council, careful consideration should be given as to how a scheme could be introduced here as there are potentially many advantages. It is recommended that a sub-group of officers from the Coastal Group, collect data to investigate a workable scheme for consideration by Cabinet.
Coordination of effort between the three departments should continue in order to back up agreed recreational boating/wildlife policy and implement actions from the plan. Additional links with the Afon Teifi Fairways Committee, boat clubs and Gwynedd Council’s marine unit should be developed.
Whilst some respondents to the public consultation expressed the view that enforcement should be tightened, there is evidence that shows that the voluntary approach outlined in this document has achieved considerable success albeit in the southern part of the county. The Council should continue its policy of following up reported incidents with skippers; withdrawing mooring/launching facilities where necessary, and reporting suspected reckless or deliberate disturbance to the police for investigation. Some boat clubs during the consultation said that their members would be willing to assist in reporting code of conduct breaches. There is a view that persistent defaulters are in a minority and that it would be unfair to bring in punitive measures that would affect the majority.
7.6 Personal Water Craft: As no evidence has been shown to suggest that PWC’s per se cause any more disturbance to the protected species in the Bay than any other fast, maneuverable craft it is recommended that PWC users be required alongside all other craft to comply with the Marine Code.
7.7 Monitoring & Review: These recommendations have been made on the basis that boat traffic levels in the southern part of the county
14 have been constant since 1994. It remains important to keep monitoring systems in place in order to detect trends in both boating rates and dolphin sighting rates. Integration of records of number and type of boats launched annually by harbourmasters, launch officers and life-guards would be useful in order to get a fuller picture of boat traffic trends. The Dolphin Watch study has recorded that between 2004-07 when boating levels fell due to poor weather, dolphin sighting rates showed a strong inverse relationship to boating levels. Data has suggested that boat traffic suppressed site use by dolphins at New Quay Harbour during this period. The Dolphin Watch study demonstrates that networks of volunteer observers can provide a cost- effective, non-invasive means of gathering data on marine mammals and the effectiveness of the Code of Conduct for the purpose of coastal zone management. Consideration needs to be given as to how monitoring can be extended to cover both the Teifi estuary and Aberystwyth/Borth areas.
Analysis of the monitoring data is undertaken bi-annually, and a simultaneous review of this plan would be beneficial at that time. The review could be carried out by relevant officers, with representatives from the Fairways Committee, Boat clubs and Gwynedd County Council’s marine unit.
References:
CCC, (2000) Cetacean site use & boat traffic on the Marine Heritage Coast 1994-1999 CCC (2002) Draft Coastal Recreation Management Plan, Richard Marks CCC (2006) Bottlenose dolphins and boat traffic on the Ceredigion Coast, West Wales 2004 & 2005 CCC (2008) Cardigan Bay SAC Management Scheme DEFRA (2007) Managing coastal activities: a guide to local authorities Hyder Consulting Ltd. (2007) Cardigan Bay Action Plan. Final report to WAG G. Pesante, P.G.H. Evans, M.E. Baines, and M. McMath Abundance and Life History Parameters of Bottlenose Dolphin in Cardigan Bay: Monitoring 2005-2007, CCW Marine Monitoring Report No. 61 Pierpoint, C., Allan, L., Arnold, H., Evans, P., Perry, S., Wilberforce, L., & Baxter, J. Monitoring important coastal sites for bottlenose dolphin in Cardigan Bay, UK. Journal of the Marine Biological Association, 89.4 WAG (2008) Coastal Tourism Strategy WAG (2008) People, Places, Futures, Wales Spatial Plan.
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