New no-go zones to protect Pagham harbour

The exclusion areas are 150 metres wide around New Island and Tern Island in the nature reserve and surrounding two sensitive sites of the Pagham Spit, including the Little Lagoon.

They form part of the new bylaws which West Sussex County Council is adopting to ensure the internationally-recognised coastal area continues to offer as much protection as possible for the wildlife which sees it as home.

The rules are set to come into force early next month.

They will cover the entire site of 600 hectares which is managed by the county council.

Other notable points of the bylaws include the restrictions on dogs which are being continued from the existing regulations.

Nature reserve warden Rob Carver said: "Dogs must be kept on a lead except along the foreshore and specific dog off-lead routes and zones at Pagham and Sidlesham.

"There is a leaflet 'Walking your dog at Pagham Harbour' available from the visitor centre at Sidlesham, libraries, parish, district and county councils that explains this."

The lead-free areas include the boundary of Slipe Field and along the North Wall on the Pagham side. On the Sidlesham side, the lead-free area is around Yeomans Field immediately north of the visitor centre.

Penalties are also in place for those who fail to clear up after their pets.

Watersport activities such as kitesurfing, scuba diving and jet skiing are banned at the harbour because of the disturbance they would cause to the wildlife and its habitats as well as the safety risks to other users.

Mr Carver continued: "All vehicles, including quad bikes and motorcycles, are prohibited.

"Cycling is not allowed, due to lack of bridleways and conflicts with pedestrians, other than on the Chichester to Selsey cycle route which cross the western edge of the reserve."

The new bylaws are the first revision to the rules for 11 years. The first set took effect soon after the reserve was established in 1964. These were revised in 1987.

"The provision of effective, up to date bylaws will minimise unnecessary disturbance to sensitive areas and better protect this internationally important site as a refuge for both wildlife and people.

"This latest revision reflects the need to respond to changing patterns of visitor use and recreational pressures, as well as excluding those bylaws relating to harmless activities or those that rarely or never take place.

"Some of the existing bylaws are ambiguous, open to interpretation or not as easily understood as they might be," added Mr Carver.

"The aim has been to modify the bylaws so that they are clear, reasonable, realistic, enforceable and directly relevant to the needs of the reserves, while remaining within the guidelines set by the Department for Farming and Rural Affairs."

Once the bylaws take effect, a visitor code will be posted at various locations around the harbour. This will display the key points succinctly to spread awareness of the regulations.