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There is a multitude of ways that people can float or propel themselves through the water. So far we have counted 12 main groups; from motor cruising to dinghy sailing, jet skiing and kayaking.?From a practical point of view, we include anyone who enjoys spending time on or in the water, but does not take or exploit any marine resources, as a watersports enthusiast.

A 2007 RYA survey showed that 4 million adults participate in watersports in the UK, and 42% of those were from the South West and Wales. More people own boats in our region than any other part of the UK.

However, there are some important differences between these groups in terms of their potential impact on marine wildlife and habitats including the level of noise they generate and where their activities take place. Generally the potential for conflict with MPAs is quite low and there could be some benefits too; better planning and use of

zoning within MPAs could potentially reduce existing conflicts of use that occur between some watersports enthusiasts.

We fully recognise that watersports enthusiasts are an important stakeholder who have a vested interest in a clean and healthy marine environment, and that they want to carry on enjoying their hobbies. We are reaching them through our three liaison officers based in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, who conduct ad-hoc interviews throughout the regions. We are also working closely with the RYA to ensure as many watersports enthusiasts as possible know about the Finding Sanctuary project, understand what it is doing and are able to engage and input their activity information, knowledge and opinions. The Finding Sanctuary website and interactive WebGIS will play an important role in gathering this information. Watersports enthusiasts are represented on our Steering Group.