Thank you for using a Dale Seagrass Visitor mooring

Thank you for taking the time to read this information. You can find out more about seagrass here however, if you value having these moorings, please donate each time you use them. The moorings mark the eastern edge of the Dale Seagrass Meadow and provide an alternative to anchoring for visiting boats to help protect the seagrass meadow from damage. They are rated for vessels of 40 ft and 10 tons maximum.

Donate Here!
Save the moorings – Save the seagrass!
Dale visitor mooring. (Photo credit: Sue Burton)
A boat is using the visitor mooring in Dale Bay. It is a sunny day.
Visitor moorings in use in Dale. (Photo credit: Max B)

How are the moorings funded?

The moorings are currently funded by the Natur am Byth! partnership – Wales’ flagship species recovery programme. However, for ongoing upkeep of the moorings, we need them to become self-financing, which is why we encourage donations. The moorings are managed by the Dale Seagrass Stakeholder Group – any surplus after servicing the moorings will be used for local environmental or well-being projects that support the community.

How long can I stay?

The moorings are intended for short stays or an overnight stop. We encourage consideration towards others who might want to use the moorings and ask that you treat them as a temporary facility.

How much should I donate?

We suggest a minimum of £10 for an overnight or full day’s stay. If you’re here for a shorter period, say for a lunch stop, then we’d welcome any contribution you wish to make.

Donate Here!
Save the moorings – Save the seagrass!

What’s so great about seagrass?

Seagrass is a marine flowering plant that forms underwater meadows. Seagrass has many benefits for both people and nature:

Absorbs carbon
Improves water quality
Stabilises coastlines
Provides protection from storms
Encourages biodiversity
Improves fish stocks

Why is there a seagrass meadow here?

Seagrass can be found around our coastlines, including here in Dale.

Dale was the location of the UK’s first major seagrass restoration project, when over 1 million seagrass seeds were planted in 2020. The seagrass was initially planted by the Seagrass Ocean Rescue project coordinated by Swansea University, with further monitoring and planting now being undertaken by South Wales’ based charity Project Seagrass, supported by the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC (currently under funding from the National Heritage Lottery fund). Read more about seagrass and the project here..

A patch of seagrass growing in the shallow coastal waters
Seagrass growing in Dale Bay
Cuttlefish eggs in the seagrass in Dale.

The seagrass restoration area in Dale is marked out by buoys: