A ROW has broken out over a protection zone to save seahorses off Dorset.

A voluntary anchor-free zone is being introduced at Studland Bay which is home to the country’s largest breeding seahorse colony.

Wardens will then patrol and photograph the area to create a map of boating activity during the busy summer season.

Experts will compare data from the seagrass in the anchor-free zone and a control zone where boats can anchor to judge the impact on the seahorse territory.

But locals fear it will turn in to a ‘naming and shaming’ exercise with boats that are anchored in the bay named on the internet.

They believe the seagrass and seahorses are thriving and should be left alone.

They also argue that the village will suffer economically if the hundreds of boats that come each weekend in summer decide to stay away.

Robin Hilton, clerk of Studland Parish Council, said: “We think that what will happen is these wardens will identify the boats that anchor and cause them problems.”

Tim Lightbown, landlord of the Bankes Arms, added: “Naming and shaming the boats, finding out who owns the boats. Anyone that comes in to the control zone will be named, their boats will be put on the internet.”

But Richard Caldow, Natural England maritime adviser, denied this was the case.

“I’m not interested in the names of boats. I want to know how many there are and where they are going, particularly the level of boating in the voluntary no anchor zone which will hopefully be none.

“There might be the odd individual who out of spite or grievance will choose to go on there but it will be well marked so if anyone does it will be intentional.”

He said the photographs will not identify boats and names will not be put on the internet.

“That’s certainly not the intention of Natural England, the Crown Estate or SeaStar,” he said.

The Crown Estate owns the seabed in Studland Bay and SeaStar Survey Ltd has been appointed to carry out the study.

Six large buoys will mark out the no anchor zone with flags on top of the 100 metre by 100 metre area.

Steve Trewhella, from the Seahorse Trust, said: “Although we welcome the fact that Crown Estate and Natural England have paid for a study of the eelgrass it’s a start but unfortunately I think they are just going to spend huge amounts of money proving what we already know that there is lots of damage down there.

“Meanwhile it’s still being anchored on and trashed on a day-to-day basis and the seahorses still have no protection.

“Our suggestion is to spend that money to replace the existing moorings with new eco-friendly ones and ban anchoring.

“Eelgrass will grow right up to the eco-friendly moorings and they could put more down.

“There might not be able to accommodate 300 boats but when it is full they will have to go some where else.”