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Breeding seahorses delay harbour wall repairs

Paul Lott/Seahorse Trust A close-up of a spiny seahorse on a sandy seabed amongst the seagrass. Its tail is wrapped around a blade of grass. It is mostly brown and green in colour and has lots of spines over the top of its head and the top of its back.Paul Lott/Seahorse Trust
The UK's spiny (pictured) and short-snouted seahorses are protected by law

A colony of breeding seahorses is delaying work to repair a crumbling harbour wall.

Work to replace the walls around Weymouth Peninsula, Dorset, was due to begin in the winter but was halted due to "factors beyond the council's control".

Now contractors must wait until the protected seahorses, which breed and raise their young in the nearby seagrass, move back into deeper water.

Construction is expected to take 10 to 12 months, with completion expected in "mid-2026".

Dorset Council Aerial view, looking from the sea towards Weymouth Peninsula and Weymouth Beach. The peninsula is a flat triangle of land, mostly covered by a large car park. To the right of the peninsula is the sandy beach. To the left is the entrance to the harbour which is full of small boats on their moorings. On the far side of the harbour entrance is the tree-filled peninsula of Nothe Gardens.Dorset Council
Work on the north side of the peninsula will begin in the autumn

Inspections found the walls on the north east and north west side of the peninsula, which were built in 1977, were in "critical condition" and "at risk of failure".

Dorset Council place services councillor Jon Andrews said: "Balancing economic progress with protecting what makes Dorset special isn't always easy, but it's a challenge we are determined to meet.

"Seahorses are special creatures and it's right that we do what we can to avoid disturbing them during their breeding season."

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