Thanet Coastal Codes Voluntary codes for coastal users

● Seashore Code ● Horse Riding ● Dog Walking ● Powercraft Activities ● Wind-powered Activities ● Shellfish Harvesting and Fixed Netting ● Shore Angling ● Bait Digging and Collecting ● Field Trips

ople for coastal wildlife h pe wit ing T work hanet Coast Project … Thanet Coastal Codes

What’s it all for? The North East coast is a valued open space The codes aim to: used by many people for recreational activities. It • Avoid unintentional harm to the marine and is also highly valued for its plants, animals and bird life. birds. Local people agreed that a series of • Encourage responsible use of the coast. voluntary codes could help safeguard wildlife, • Keep everyone safe. while allowing locals and visitors to enjoy their coastal activities. Comments If you would like to comment on any of the codes, Making the Codes please forward these to the Thanet Coast Project so Representatives of each activity worked with the that they can be considered when the codes are next Thanet Coast Project to write the codes, which were reviewed. By working together, we can all help to make first produced in November 2002. The first review has ‘shore’ the North East Kent Coast coast is a better resulted in this update in 2005. Although the codes place to enjoy. are voluntary, individuals and clubs are encouraged to support and review them from time to time. The Thanet Coast Project codes will also be checked to see if they are working. c/o Council PO Box 9, Cecil Street, CT9 1XZ 01843 577672 [email protected] www.thanetcoast.org.uk

2 Seashore Code for all coastal users To be used with the code for your activity Stay safe • Check tide times to avoid being cut off from the shore and tell someone where you’re going. Respect our coastal wildlife • Check bay signs for activity zones, bylaws and • Try to leave everything as you find it – or would local beach safety information. like to find it. • Be aware of local hazards and conditions. • Tread carefully on the rocky shore to minimise • Take care near cliffs and don’t throw anything impact on coastal wildlife. over the edge. • Avoid putting coastal birds to flight between • Beware of walking on slippery rocks, slopes 1 October and 31 March, especially at high tide or or near the edge of promenades. at night. • Keep away from soft sand and mud. • Stay clear of the main bird roost areas between 1 October to 31 March, and the summer breeding Be environmentally friendly grounds between 1 April and 31 July on the • Volunteer to help on ‘beach-cleans’ and support shingle beaches by the lagoons (see map page 15). environmental campaigns. • Buy postcards, books or posters or take photos of Consider our coastline and other users marine creatures – instead of “marine curios”, such • Take your rubbish home and report any potential as shells and starfish, which may have been alive hazards. when collected. • Try to avoid damaging rocks, especially on the • Buy products and produce that do not harm the lower shore, where the chalk is most fragile. environment, such as environmentally friendly • Don’t block public access or rights of way and use detergents or locally caught non-endangered fish official car parks where possible. (see www.fishonline.org). • Only authorised vehicles are allowed to use the • Remember to recycle and dispose of your waste foreshore or promenades. properly – remember car oil, paints and solvents all • Respect the rights of all other users. need special land-based disposal and plastics should not be flushed down with bathroom waste. 3 Horseriding Code

• Try to avoid putting shoreline wintering birds to • Follow the local bylaws: flight by not riding on the beach at high tides. • Ride only before 9am and after 7pm along • Avoid disturbing wintering birds during or after the seashore between 1 May and 30 long cold spells when food is harder to find as this September for public safety reasons. can increase their energy expenditure and reduce • Some riding for children is allowed outside feeding time. these times when led by a responsible • Please avoid riding close to the summer bird person on foot; but this bylaw excludes any breeding grounds and main winter roosts on the racing or ‘breaking-in’ on the seashore. shingle beaches between Minnis Bay and Reculver; and at the Sandwich and National Nature Reserve (see map page 15). • Follow the British Horse Society’s code for ‘Riding responsibly and road safety’ – available from the British Horse Society. • Show courtesy, care and consideration for the land and other users. • Ride with care on the road as outlined in the BHS Riding and Road Safety Manual and Test. • Always wear protective headgear (to the current safety standard) and appropriate clothing and check your tack for safety before you set off.

4 Dogwalking Code

• To avoid disturbing birds, walk your dog towards • Follow the local Dog Bylaws the back of the shore and try to avoid the feeding Dogs are banned from some of Thanet’s beaches birds along the tide line, or at times around high during the summer. Please obey the signs on the tide (when the beach area is smaller). beaches or check the details at Visitor Information • Keep away from known bird roosts and take note Centres or local authority offices. The maximum of any signs requesting your co-operation in these penalty for failing to obey the Dog Bylaws is £500 areas. • Do not allow your dog to chase birds on the beach, as this stops them from feeding and roosting. • Keep your dog on a lead when: • near feeding or roosting birds; • on shingle from April to July inclusive because of ground-nesting breeding birds; • in areas used by other recreational activities, as boisterous dogs can scare both birds and people. • Please clean up after your dog to keep the beach safe and clean for other users. It is illegal not to clean up in every public place in Thanet. This is rigorously enforced with fixed penalty notices of £50, and dog owners can be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000. Over 100 people have fallen ‘foul’ of the law, so please clean up! 5 Powercraft Code Motorboats, personal watercraft and water-skiing

• Keep activities, launches and landings away from except in designated areas (eg water skiing). the summer breeding grounds and main winter Contact Foreshore Manager, TDC for further details. roosts: on the shingle beaches between Minnis Bay • Observe the ‘Rules of the Road’ and Reculver; within the Sandwich and Pegwell Bay Convention on the International Regulations for National Nature Reserve, except for navigational Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972; ‘COLREGs’ – access to Sandwich. free sticker available from the RNLI. • If you encounter wildlife, such as seals either at sea • Know and follow the RNLI’s Sea Safety Guidelines or on sandbanks, slow down and give them a wide as appropriate for your activity. berth as they can be easily scared by humans. Booklets are available free of charge from the RNLI • Avoid damage to the chalk shore by only using the and cover: motorboating; personal watercraft; sea designated launch sites. anglers; small boat users; sport diving. • Be considerate to other coastal users, especially • Observe guidelines produced by owner/user swimmers and divers, and clear away from the organisations: beach area as soon as possible. boat owners (RYA and BMF); water skiing (British • Keep to the designated activity zones identified on Water Ski Federation); sea anglers (NABAC). the main bay information signs, or by the Local Authority. • Join and abide by local schemes eg Thanet Water User Group’s rules and regulations: runs a scheme that involves a barrier ‘key’ system allowing registered users access to the shore and encourages adequate third party insurance. Rules include keeping barriers locked and not exceeding 8 knots inshore of 400m; 6 Note: a Marine Mammal Code (seals and dolphins) for NE Kent will be drafted and agreed in 2005-6 Wind-powered Activities Code Windsurfing, kite-surfing and sailing

• Avoid putting shoreline wintering birds to flight by Thanet Water User Group. using the designated access points only, and avoid Contact them to see if your craft should be getting close to their feeding grounds along the included. strandline or reef, or where they are resting – such • Know and follow the RNLI’s Sea Safety Guidelines as at high tides. ‘Dinghy Sailing’ and ‘Sailing’ – available free of • Keep activities, launches and landings away from charge from the RNLI. the summer breeding grounds and main winter • Observe the advice in the Windsurfing Safety roosts: on the shingle beaches between Minnis Bay Guide – available from the MCA (via Mail and Reculver; within the Sandwich and Pegwell Bay Marketing 011 5901 3336). National Nature Reserve, except for navigational • Be aware of the Kite Surfing Safety Guidelines – access to Sandwich. contact the British Kite Surfing Association. • If you encounter wildlife, such as seals either at sea or on sandbanks, slow down and give them a wide berth as they can be easily scared by humans. • Be considerate to other coastal users – particularly swimmers and children in the water and look out for other beach users and dogs when clearing equipment away on the shore. • Keep to the designated activity zones identified on the main bay information signs, or by the Local Authority. • For larger vessels – above dinghy or topper in size – join a local water user scheme, such as the 7 Note: a Marine Mammal Code (seals and dolphins) for NE Kent will be drafted and agreed in 2005-6 Harvesting and fixed netting Code Shellfish and other marine life

• Tread carefully to avoid damage to the rocky chalk • Abide by food safety standards and ‘guidelines for shore especially on the lower shore where the chalk safe working in estuaries and tidal areas’ (Health is most fragile. and Safety Executive) • Always put rocks and seaweed back the way they were – there are animals underneath which need them for shelter. • Shellfish should be collected by hand (and not mechanical means), and without breaking the chalk Additional Codes for ‘Shoreline Fixed Netting’ rocks (Local Sea Fisheries bylaws allow for the collection of periwinkle by hand only). • Fixed nets should comply with both national and • Take only enough for your own needs to ensure local fishery bylaws. Contact the Kent and Essex that many are left for other collectors and the Sea Fisheries Committee for details and species can still thrive. permission, and the Environment Agency for • Select only the larger shellfish to ensure that information on the fishing of salmon, sea trout younger ones can continue to grow and establish and eels. the next generation. • Care should be taken to avoid damage to the • Take care to avoid putting feeding or roosting birds chalk shore and marine life when putting up to flight. fixed nets. • Avoid collecting shellfish during ‘Temporary • Take away and dispose of any entangled rubbish Prohibition Orders’ (Fishery Products and Live or disintegrating nets in suitable bins. Shellfish) when it is a criminal offence to collect live • Avoid designated coastal activity areas or launch shellfish such as cockles and mussels for human sites as nets could entangle and endanger other consumption on the grounds of public food safety. coastal users – contact TDC Foreshore for Contact your local authority for further information. details. 8 Shore angling Code

• Take care to avoid putting roosting or feeding wintering birds to flight especially when shore Examples of minimum National Federation of angling at high tide or at night. Sea Anglers (NFSA) catch size (cm) • Avoid shore angling along the shingle beaches Bass 41 Plaice 28 adjacent to the lagoons between Reculver and Brill 35 Pollack 30 Birchington as these are used by summer breeding Cod 35 Pouting 18 birds, and the shingle is the main winter roosts. Dab 20 Skate/Ray 41* • Tread carefully on the rocky shore if fishing off the Flounder 25 Sole 25 rocks at low tide. Mackerel 30 Turbot 35 • Take all waste home and dispose of it safely Mullet 33 Whiting 27 including old hooks, line and tackle which can hurt * Wing tip to tip birds and animals. • Take only as much bait as you need and return unused worms to the beach. • Follow the NFSA ‘Conservation Code for Sea Anglers’. These include taking measures to reduce tackle loss (eg lower breaking strain for hook length than main line) and use of ‘catch and release’ methods to help conserve fish stocks, returning the fish in a healthy condition. • Abide by the ‘Recommended Retention Size Limits’ – as endorsed by the NFSA. Help conserve fish stocks by returning undersized – or surplus – fish alive and healthy to the sea. 9 Bait-digging and collecting Code

• Always carefully replace stones or seaweed when collecting crabs, to avoid damaging other sheltering animals. • Support a voluntary ban on ‘rockworm’ collecting and avoid using any methods that damage the chalk reef. • Take care to avoid putting roosting or feeding wintering birds to flight especially towards high tide or at night • Back-fill any holes that you dig to restore the seashore and make it safe for other users – unless the tide is about to do this for you! • Take care to avoid disturbance to archaeological sites within St Mildred’s and Minnis Bays. • Keep away from areas that may cause a danger with other priority users, such as designated launch sites or mooring areas. • Avoid using large bore bait pumps close to the shoreline. • Take re-usable buckets or containers for collecting. • Avoid collecting (or using) rare or unusual bait – such as pipefish or lumpfish.

10 Field trip Code Organised groups

F Follow your group’s health and safety advice T Take photos home, and not living animals. I Inform everyone about site safety, hazards, R Report potential hazards, as these could cause an emergency details. accident. E Encourage respect for coastal wildlife – minimise I Incoming Tides can cut you off from the shore, so disturbance, as its their home you’re visiting! always keep an eye on the water. • Walk gently on the rocks and by rockpools. P Promote coastal safety – stay away from soft mud, • Carefully replace rocks (and animals) you quicksand and slippery rocks, and don’t get too have moved, exactly as you found them. close to cliffs. Wear suitable clothing for the coast • Don’t remove limpets or pull seaweed off the and be prepared for changeable weather rocks. conditions. • Give seabirds space; don’t get too close and put them to flight. Please inform the Thanet Coast Project of your L Leave it as you would like to find it – take litter proposed trip. The Project can provide a site home with you! introduction for your coastal site visit. Schools can D Do observe creatures in situ and leave them also contact the Kent Wildlife Trust for advice on where you find them. educational visits to the local Country Parks (see map page 15) or to your school. Other useful reference material for schools can be found on the Thanet Coast website.

For scientific research projects, a code of conduct has been produced by the North East Kent Coastal Scientific Advisory Group and can be viewed on the Thanet Coast Project website. 11 Useful contacts

Beresford Wakeboard and Waterski Club HM Customs and Excise (confidential line) 07974 509807 0800 595000 Sailing Club J.A.W.S. (Herne Bay/Whitstable Jetski and www.broadstairssc.20m.com 01843 861373 Watercraft Society) www.jaws.org.uk/ British Horse Society Jetski World – Palm Bay www.bhs.org.uk 0870 120 2244 www.jetski-world.co.uk 01843 231703 British Kite Surfing Association Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries Committee www.kitesurfing.org 01843 585310 British Marine Federation Kent Coast Network www.britishmarine.co.uk 01784 473377 www.coastalkent.net British Water Ski Federation Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT) www.britishwaterski.co.uk 01932 570885 www.kentwildlife.org.uk 01622 662012 English Nature (Kent Office) Kingfisheries (fishing tackle shop), Margate www.english-nature.org.uk 01233 812525 01843 223866 Environment Agency (Fisheries) Margate Yacht Club www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/fish www.margateyachtclub.co.uk 01843 292602 08708 506506 Marine Conservation Society Fishermans Corner (fishing tackle shop), www.mcsuk.org 01989 566017 01843 582174 Maritime and Coastguard Agency Foreness Water Ski Club www.mcga.org.uk 0870 600 6505 www.waterskiclub.co.uk 01843 582951 Minnis Bay Sailing Club Good Fish Guide (Marine Conservation Society) www.minnisbaysc.co.uk 01843 841588 www.fishonline.org Minnis Bay Windsurfing Club Health and Safety Executive 01843 833042 www.hse.gov.uk 01233 653900 12 National Association of Boat Angling Clubs Sandwich Sailing and Motorboat Club 01253 591063 01304 617650 National Federation of Sea Anglers South East Coastal Group www.nfsa.org.uk/ 01364 644643 www.se-coastalgroup.org.uk/ NE Kent Coastal Scientific Advisory Group – Tides information Research Code www.ramsgatemarina.co.uk/tides/tides.php See www.thanetcoast.org.uk Thanet Coastal Warden Scheme Pegwell Bay Country Park 01843 577409 01843 851137 Thanet Dog Owners Association Ramsgate Royal Harbour and Marina 01843 831114 www.ramsgatemarina.co.uk 01843 572100 Thanet District Council Foreshore Reculver Country Park Visitor Centre 01843 577275 01227 740676 Thanet Leisureforce (for bay inspectors/lifeguards) Royal Temple Yacht Club www.leisureforce.co.uk 01843 227959 www.rtyc.com 01843 591766 Thanet Water Users’ Group (see TDC-Foreshore) Royal National Lifeboat Institution 01843 577274 www.rnli.org.uk 01202 663000 Visitor Information Royal Society for the Protection of Birds www.canterburyandcoastalkent.co.uk www.rspb.org.uk 01767 680551 www.tourism.thanet.gov.uk 0870 264 6111(Thanet) Royal Yachting Association Weather information www.rya.org.uk 0845 345 0400 www.met-office.gov.uk or www.bbc.co.uk/weather Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust www.sbbo.co.uk 01304 617341 Note: For information on local coastal recreational Sandwich Bay Sailing and Water-ski Club clubs contacts the Thanet Coast Project. www.sandwichbay.co.uk 01304 611116 13 Main recreational activities Bathing a Bathing Dog walking* Horse riding b digging Bait Shore angling Sailing w Windsurfing and kitesurfing Small fishing boats w Speedboats/ skiing w Water Field trips Car parking/ toilets/café Personal watercraft Personal (jet-ski) w 1 Reculver ✓✓ ✓ z ✓ 2 Northern Sea Wall ✓✓ ✓ 3 Minnis Bay ✓ b ✓✓✓✓+p ✓✓ ✓✓ 4 Grenham Bay ✓ 5 Beresford Gap ✓ pp 6 Epple Bay ✓ 7 Westgate Bay ✓ c ✓✓✓e ✓✓ 8 St Mildred’s Bay ✓ c ✓✓✓ ✓ ✓✓ 9 Westbrook Bay ✓ c ✓✓✓ ✓✓ ✓ s 10 Margate Main Sands ✓ b ✓ ✓ 11 Margate Harbour ✓ hf+p hf ✓ 12 Winter Gardens (Fulsam Rock) ✓✓ 13 Walpole Bay ✓ b ✓ 14 Palm Bay ✓ j ✓✓ 15 Foreness Bay ✓ ✓✓✓ 16 Botany Bay ✓✓ s 17 Kingsgate Bay ✓ 18 Joss Bay ✓✓✓ ✓ s 19 Stone Bay c s 20 Broadstairs Harbour ✓ h+p h ✓ 21 Viking Bay ✓ b ✓ 22 Louisa Bay ✓ ✓ s 23 Dumpton Gap ✓ ✓ s 24 Eastcliff ✓✓ ✓p 25 Ramsgate Main Sands ✓ b ✓✓ 26 Ramsgate Royal Harbour ✓ hL L ✓ 27 Western Undercliff ✓✓ ✓✓✓ ✓ t ✓ 28 Pegwell Bay ✓✓ zs 29 Sandwich Quay ✓ hL hL ✓ 30 Sandwich Bay (Toll Road) d ✓✓p ✓dp p 14 North East Kent European Marine Sites The North East Kent Coast is an internationally important asset for wintering birds and the marine life associated with chalk cliffs, caves and reefs and sandy bays.

15 16 12 13 14 Foreness 11 Point Coldharbour 9 10 Lagoon Plumpudding 8 Margate 17 1 7 Kingsgate Lagoon 5 6 Westbrook Swalecliffe Reculver 2 4 18 3 Westgate North Birchington Foreland Whitstable Herne Bay Reculver Northern Country Park Sea Wall Main roost sites 19 20 Minor roost sites a Lifeguards (summer only; except none at Reculver) Broadstairs 21 b Summer restrictions (1May-30Sept) 22 Summer breeding ground Dumpton 23 c Summer restrictions (15May-15Sept,10am-6pm) d Southern end only A roost is a resting area for birds 24 e Hand launch (summer only) f Additional launch site to north of harbour National Nature Reserve 25 h Contact the harbour or quay for launches: Ramsgate Margate/Broadstairs/Ramsgate: 01843 572100 Cliffsend 26 The Hugin Ship 28 27 Sandwich Quay: 01304 872406 Picnic Site Pegwell j Jet-ski World Bay L Large sail and powercraft Pegwell Bay Shellness Country Park p Private clubs s Seasonal facilities (April-Sept) t Trial launch site (if club is formed) w Thanet Water Users’ Group launch sites (except H and 29-30) z Country Parks

* All Thanet dog bylaws are likely to be reviewed in 2006 29 Sandwich 30 Reporting incidents

Help to report hazards and incidents straight away to enable the authorities to deal with any problems quickly.

Emergencies Rubbish and bylaws Coastguard, Ambulance, Police or Fire – call 999 Dumped rubbish, hazards or incidents about the breaking of local bylaws, report to: Pollution Thanet District Council Chemical waste, drums or oil spills. www.thanet.gov.uk 01843 577000 If the incident is on the beach inform: Canterbury City Council Environment Agency www.canterbury.gov.uk 01227 862000 www.environment-agency.gov.uk 0800 807060 Dover District Council If in the sea, call: www.dover.gov.uk 01304 821199 Coastguard (Dover) www.mcga.gov.uk 01304 210008 Injured animals and birds If stranded, injured or in distress call: Anti-social activities, vandalism RSPCA www.rspca.org.uk 08705 555999 Incidents or other suspicious activities, report to: Thanet Seabird Rescue (for oil-affected seabirds) Police www.kent.police.uk 01843 862632 Thanet 01843 231055 Report wildlife strandings/deaths (e.g. seals and Canterbury 01227 762055 dolphins) to: South East Kent 01304 240055 Thanet Coast Project 01843 577672