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LOOK AFTER LANGSTONE

It is the responsibility of everyone who uses and visits Langstone Harbour to take care of this important environmental resource. Litter, pollution and disturbance can all have a devastating effect on wildlife, and in most cases are a criminal offence. The Langstone Harbour Board, as well as many other organisations, strives to protect and enhance the Harbour’s ecological environment so that it remains a safe and productive sanctuary for wildlife, and a beautiful and restful place for people.

You can help to take care of Langstone Harbour by following these guidelines:

Litter
In addition to being unsightly, litter can be very dangerous to wildlife. Every year thousands of seabirds die as a result of litter. Some drown as a result of entanglement and others starve as a result of ingestion. Many fish and marine mammals also meet their end this way. Plastics can take up to 700 years to begin to decompose, so none of the plastics ever made have begun to decompose yet. In the sea, they are broken up into tiny pieces, which can be ingested by filter feeding animals, causing problems for them, and even entering the human food chain.
There are many litter bins to deposit your rubbish in around Langstone Harbour, and at the Harbour Office there are general waste and recycling facilities available for all Harbour users to dispose of their boat-generated waste. Please remember to stow litter securely so it does not get blown away by the wind while you are on a boat or having a picnic. If you cannot find a bin to throw your rubbish in then please take it home with you.

10 Knots
For the safety of all Harbour users, and because of the environmental sensitivity of the Harbour’s important wildlife habitats and species, there is a speed limit of 10 knots (equivalent to 11.5 mph) in the Harbour. Excessive wash produced by boats can damage habitats and be a nuisance to other Harbour users.

Zones
Certain recreational activities with the potential to damage or disturb wildlife are restricted to specific areas within the Harbour. As well as promoting safety, these zones ensure that Harbour users avoid unintentional damage to a delicate and internationally important ecosystem.
Jet Skiing and Waterskiing are permitted only in certain zones within Langstone Harbour, and Waterskiing is only permitted during a specified season.
Windsurfing and Kayaking are permitted in Langstone Harbour, however to protect the Harbour’s internationally important bird life participants must avoid landing on the islands in the harbour, as well as ensuring they avoid causing disturbance to wildlife in other sensitive areas.
Kite Surfing is NOT permitted in Langstone Harbour without written consent from the Harbourmaster. A dedicated Kite Surfing zone is available outside the Harbour on the southern shoreline of Hayling Island.
The Civil Aviation Authority has recently promulgated Langstone Harbour as a Bird Sanctuary. Pilots are now requested to avoid overflying the Harbour at a height below 500ft throughout the year to avoid disturbance to birds. A portion of the latest edition of the aviation chart for this region illustrating the area promulgated as a Bird Sanctuary can be seen here.

Oil and Fuel
Oil and fuels are extremely toxic to the marine environment, and you should prevent these products from entering the water at all costs. Advice on how to prevent oil and fuel spillages on your boat is available from The Green Blue. At the Langstone Harbour Board office, we have recycling facilities for waste oil, and oily rags. You can also purchase a BILGE SOCK from the office, to prevent any oil which has found its way into your bilge water escaping into the Harbour when you pump your bilges.

Approaching Wildlife
Wild animals are easily disturbed by human beings and their activities. Using up valuble energy by fleeing from human beings who have gone too close, or dogs that have been let off their leads in sensitive areas, can put a huge stress upon wildlife, particularly during the winter months. The Langstone Harbour Board Winter Wildlife leaflet explains more about this. Similarly in the summer months disturbance to wildlife can cause parents to flee nesting sites and abandon young.
The Langstone Harbour Board recommends that Harbour users should not approach any wild animal closely; instead invest in a pair of binoculars and a zoom lens camera, and keep a distance of at least 50m from any wild animal. Always follow our Wildlife Watching Code of Conduct. Pets should be kept under close control, and walkers enjoying the circular route around Langstone Harbour to stick to footpaths to avoid trampling sensitive habitats.