Poole Harbour Commissioners chair and provide the secretariat of the Poole Harbour steering group. During 2006 the commissioners hosted project officer William Drake to deliver the 2006 Poole Harbour Aquatic Management Plan project.

The need to manage all these different interests has long been recognised. The non-statutory 2006 aquatic management plan, launched in January, gives just that by providing a framework for this management; co-ordination of the present and future needs for nature conservation, recreation, commercial use and other legitimate interests of the harbour.

The plan consolidates and updates the original aquatic management plan published in 1994 and the 1998 harbour management policies, as well as drawing on many other current planning and guidance documents.

It has been produced by the Poole Harbour steering group following extensive consultation with harbour stakeholders to create a live plan containing guidelines, principles and objectives designed to inform, advise and steer current and future management of the harbour. It aims to build on established partnerships and be a vehicle for communication, providing a platform within which decisions can be made and appropriate action taken.

The steering group is a voluntary partnership helping coordinate the work between statutory bodies with responsibilities in the Harbour. Its members work under a memorandum of agreement and their main role is to:

• co-operate and consult in the exercise of their statutory powers and functions
• oversee and facilitate the implementation of the management plan
• improve co-ordination between users and information flow between users with different interests in the Harbour
• ensure that users' points of view on issues that arise and solutions raised, are circulated
• act as an advisory group for the Poole Harbour Special Protection Area (SPA)
• improve access to high quality, up to date and relevant data for decision making.

If you want to find out more about the project, view the non-technical summary or the full Poole Harbour Aquatic Management Plan go to the project's website at www.pooleharbouraqmp.co.uk or email info@pooleharbouraqmp.co.uk

The project to publish the plan was only made possible through funding from all the steering group members, with a key contribution being made by The Crown Estate through their Marine Stewardship Fund.