WORKING GROUP

IDEAL VISIONS*

NATURE CONSERVATION

Raise the profile of Torbay’s natural and marine assets locally and nationally via education and interpretation.

Safeguard the environmental quality, wildlife diversity and beauty of the area with an Integrated Management Plan, which regulates the use of coastal areas and balances the needs of people and wildlife in a sustainable manner.

RECREATIONAL WATER USERS

Find and bring decent investment into Torbay to upgrade the quality of the inshore and water environment for a more appealing image and create a better water recreational resort.

Improve facilities and infrastructure and diversify activities while keeping a wild environment to attract a higher spending and all year round clientele.

Agree on a shared vision, work together by resolving conflicts and achieve a balance between the natural environment, commercial and recreational needs.

Encourage sustainable forms of tourism development, which complement conservation and amenity objectives.

INFRASTRUCTURE

 To promote sustainable coastal development through integrated coastal management and introduce programmes that encourages learning, improvement and evolution towards more effective results.

 To establish a framework for coastal improvement and secure sustainable financing by working co-operatively in identifying priority issues and areas for improvement

To protect the coastline from inappropriate development, coastal processes and global warming. 

To work towards a waste and emissions free Bay where water quality catches up with EU regulations and anti-fouling paints, diesel and other diffuse sources are not entering the marine environment. 

To establish Torbay as a Centre of Environmental Training and as an example for good environmental practices to raise its overall profile.

FISHERIES

Support the development of Torbay’s fishing industry by financing proper facilities and infrastructures.

Increase commitment towards more sustainable use of the coastal areas in order to ensure sustainable marine resources and inshore industry in the Bay.

Establish a fair distribution of common resource (i.e. manage marine resources such as fish to the benefit of commercial and recreational users especially between commercial fishermen, anglers and divers).

Improve water quality to support the fishery (e.g. poor water quality around Hopes Nose and Sharkham Point) and the quality environment of Torbay.

Improve access to harbour and quays to all while minimising conflicts.

TOURISM

Raise Torbay’s pride and profile locally and nationally by informing local residents, businesses and local authorities of Torbay’s unique geological, natural and marine environment assets. 

Torbay needs to advertise itself as “different” from other English Holiday Resorts to attract other and all year round clientele.  Torbay needs to offer more than the traditional bucket and spade brigade activities) by diversifying experiences and increasing the range of outdoors sporting and educational opportunities for both visitors and locals (e.g. nature based activities).
 

First impression when arriving in Torbay needs to be improved with a warmer welcome from the locals and by changing Torbay into a more attractive, well managed and enjoyable location to return to .

Improve water quality in the whole bay (i.e. more Blue Flag Awards) and raise awareness on water quality.  Investment needed to improve shabbiness of shop fronts and harbours.

WORKING GROUP

KEY ISSUES

NATURE CONSERVATION

Limit disturbance to habitats (e.g. eel grass) and harassment of wildlife (e.g. dolphins, wintering birds and seals) by commercial and recreational activities.

Educate the general public via codes of practice, interpretation boards, and training on water recreation activities and by having data more readily available to them.

More marine survey work needed (baseline survey and continuous monitoring) and further research required in Torbay to fill the gaps.

Minimise impact of fishing industry such as trawling close to shore, gear dumping in the sea and gill netting.

Stricter enforcement of existing rules and new bylaws required to keep up with current legislation.

Development pressure on marine coastal and conservation areas (i.e. Local Plan)

The Bay’s carrying capacity needs to be carefully looked at in terms of sea use for fishing, leisure and commercial purposes.

Improve water quality and reduce litter

Need to work closely together with user groups in managing the Bay’s environment.

RECREATIONAL WATER USERS

Lack of knowledge of rules and enforcement for recreational water users.

Need to introduce codes of conduct and educate locals and visitors on possible impacts on others and on the marine environment.

Increase public and business awareness and inform them on water quality and pollution.

Need to bring harbour water quality to the same standard as Bathing Waters and raise tourist’s awareness of water quality.

Work towards a pollution free Bay (i.e. sewage, litter, diesel and gillnets).

Need to be proactive in wildlife protection, integrated policy, information, interpretation and awareness (e.g. sign-posting) in the Bay.

Lack of coherent vision and strategy within the bay (i.e. within local authority, local residents and private businesses).

Need to change attitude and orientation of authorities in relation to water recreational activities (i.e. need investment).

Harbour management needs to help finance project.

Need enforcement of regulation, licensing and speed control through harbour management. 

New emphasis on expanding and diversifying tourism (e.g. green tourism).

Improve access and hospitality to tourist and visitors (e.g. continental approach, stop parking restriction for campers etc.).

Maximise right of use and access by improving recreational infrastructure (e.g. slipway, mooring and anchoring).

Transform Torbay into a Centre of Excellence (water based).

Minimise recreational seasonal pressure on wildlife and coastal areas.  

The recreational water users industry is composed of numerous fragmented sectors, which lack adequate mechanisms for communication as well as a common code of practice.  This reduces co-operation and collaboration between various sectors of the industry and inhibits all entities from learning from one another and participating in national forums.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The quality of Torbay’s water needs to be maintained at the highest level, ensuring that its environment remains unpolluted (including waters not covered by Clean Sweep)

Coastal Defence strategy that maintains existing structures against sea-level rises and erosion.

Increase waste disposal facilities and improve accessibility to these facilities.

Restore local pride and ownership by bringing investment to change tatty image behind shore and waterfronts.

Support marine-related commercial and public sector harbour operations by improving recreational facilities, paths and access.

Information systems need to be more available to the general public.

Beach cleaning all year round.

Appropriate building development such as the Northern Arm and Beacon Quay. 

WORKING GROUPS

KEY ISSUES

INFRASTRUCTURE  (Cont)

Exploiting the Harbour’s potential for tourism and sustaining port-related activities to sustain employment.

Enforcement of rules and the implementation of standards and guidelines.

Transport infrastructure needs to be improved via more pedestrianised and cycling areas to help heavy congestion.

FISHERIES

Stricter regulation on gill netting in the Bay required to reduce impacts on other water recreation activities and wildlife (e.g. gill nets interactions with sport fishing, angling, divers, juveniles fish migration and wildlife).

Pollution: prevention/facilities/dumping/cleaning up/sea-bed/sewage outfalls in the bay.

Investment required to maintain, support and improve Torbay’s fishing industry.

Enforcement needed to ensure sustainable marine resources (e.g. crab undersized/rod, lines and netting dumping).

Increasing conflicts between commercial and leisure activities: capacity problem/growth of leisure industry.

Common access to fish and facilities between commercial and sport fishing (e.g. access to anglers to harbours). Please clarify the issue here.

Consider public access to harbours (e.g. Brixham) in future planning to facilitate the enjoyment of the working port environment and the natural waterfront setting, which brings tourism.

Implement bylaws when codes of practices aren’t effective in order to bring enforcement.

Dumping/wire/fish waste/sewage outside the Bay from local and larger ships need to be monitored.

Protect wildlife from harassment (e.g. dolphins and basking sharks).

Conflict between mariculture and trawling (e.g. Mussel beds stopping inshore trawling).

Need to introduce some type of licensing in the Bay for the use of powercraft due to people’s lack of qualifications and knowledge of rules.

Need stricter rules to minimise potential accidents from inexperienced and dangerous leisure boat and power water users.

Maintain, develop and improve all commercial and sport fisheries with minimal conflict of interest. 

TOURISM

Torbay has lost its pride and needs to works towards being a Premier Resort.

Welcome factor to the Bay needs to be improved by locals and officials by increasing awareness of the importance of tourism to the local economy.

Investment required to change shabby look of shopping and harbour area (i.e. shabby street furniture/paving/lights) and to improve the overall quality of the coastal environment (e.g. water quality, litter, and dog control).

Integrated transport around bay -bus, boat, train etc, would help congestion and easy access.

Lack of internal communication between Torbay’s sectors, stakeholders and authorities.

Not enough information outlets: Need to raise awareness of underwater resources and on what is available in Torbay.

Market all the Bay’s assets and extend the tourism season.

Improve management of tourism with more tourism friendly measures (e.g. cheaper car parking, cycling routes, pedestrianised areas, better ferry trips in the bay, improve personal security).

Working together as a resort towards a common goal with participatory planning process and management schemes and ownership programs at all levels.

Implement best practices for coastal management.

Diversify tourism and new niche markets such as wildlife tourism to generate all year around activity

Prevent destruction of the valued assets of the bay.

WORKING GROUP

PRIORITIES

NATURE CONSERVATION

Establish potential zoning or seasonal restriction areas for commercial and recreational activities to reduce disturbance of eel grass beds and winter bird roosts

Increase education and interpretation of marine habitats and need to conserve coastal environment.  Importance of sharing existing information to draw up a list of all environmental data in order to monitor changes and identify gaps in research.

Minimise impacts of all fishing activities by educating and providing better facilities.

Increased enforcement to protect the natural environment.  Put mechanisms into place such as Working Groups to bring stakeholders together in order to plan co-operatively for the Bay’s sustainable future.

RECREATIONAL WATER USERS

Develop a coherent and shared vision of a quality environment for water recreation in Torbay

Provide education at all levels for a balanced use of the Bay (voluntary approach) to prevent future excessive regulations.

Improve water quality and stop sources of pollution in the Bay.

Maintain public access to ports, land, water and views and preserve the health and beauty of the natural environment of Torbay for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors.

To develop, in partnership with others, a management strategy which promotes the current and future uses of the Bay.

Favour additional/improved-mooring facilities for pleasure craft and locations on the coast where appropriate services can be provided.

Work to promote and support water recreation businesses.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Pollution -  Water quality (sewage/diesel/rubbish).

No industrial emissions.

Fishing industry/harbour.

Waste disposal facilities  (polluter pays principle).

Maintain coastal defences against climate change.

Development plans should seek to protect and enhance the nature conservation landscape   and recreation value of the open areas of the coast.

Quality behind the shore/shabby look/investment in beaches and pathways urgently required.

Enforcement of rules around the whole Bay

FISHERIES

Pollution (i.e. all types).

Gill Netting.

Enforcement of current rules and legislation.

Need to manage the increasing conflicts in the Bay.

Investment.

Common Access to all.

TOURISM

Transform Torbay into a Premier resort, which it deserves.

 Welcome to the Bay needs a more continental approach.

Improve general quality of Torbay (shops, sewage, vandalism).

Educate local people on the Assets and welcome factor to Torbay.

Integrated transport.