@article {408,
	title = {Boat anchoring on Posidonia oceanica beds in a marine protected area (Italy, western Mediterranean): effect of anchor types in different anchoring stages},
	journal = {Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology},
	year = {2003},
	abstract = {<p>Seagrasses worldwide are noted for suffering from mechanical damage  caused by boat anchoring. This is particularly so in sites highly  frequented by boaters (marine protected areas or coastal urbanised  areas). In the last decades, different strategies have been put into  practice to reduce such impacts on seagrasses (i.e. by anchoring bans or  by deploying boat moorings). More recently, in consideration that few  marine protected area (MPA) management bodies or local administrations  have the resources to enforce their anchorage regulations, the  self-regulatory approach based on education and information of boaters  has been preferred in several cases. At present, however, very little is  known on the correct anchoring practices to ensure the safeguarding of  seagrasses. The aim of the present study was to experimentally quantify  in the field the damage caused to Posidonia oceanica shoot density by  anchoring. A multifactorial experiment was designed to test whether the  damage is dependent on (1) different anchor types (Hall, Danforth and  Folding grapnel), (2) the use of a chain vs. a rope, (3) the three  anchoring stages (anchor fall, dragging/lock-in and weighing), and  finally (4) whether the pattern is consistent among different locations  of the meadow.As expected, the three anchor types employed in the  present study differed in the levels of damage inflicted on the P.  oceanica meadows of the Ustica Island MPA. In particular, the use of the  Hall type anchor seems to be preferable to minimise this impact in  comparison with the other two anchor types. Moreover, the effect on the  meadow of the three anchor types is greatly dependent on the anchoring  stage. These results confirm that the weighing stage is the critical  stage of the anchoring process. The number of damaged shoots of P.  oceanica was not affected by the presence of the chain. These patterns  were consistent between locations.</p>},
	keywords = {anchoring, boating, comparison, density, education, impact, island, Italy, management, marine protected area, Mediterranean sea, mooring, Posidonia oceanica, protected area, regulation, seagrass, Ustica, western Mediterranean},
	author = {M. Milazzo and F. Badalamenti and G. Ceccherelli and R. Chemello}
}
