For payment of Mooring Fees please contact the Mooring Officer either afloat or at the Mooring Office situated on the North side of the river by the Ferry Boat Inn. The Mooring Office is open daily between 0900 - 1700 hrs. Contact details are here.

A six knot speed limit applies to the west of the narrows, and to the north of the main river. In the interests of all boat users please keep to these limits.

You may anchor to the West of the Durgan moorings off Polgwidden cove or to the East of the Voose Rocks off the Bosahan Estate Beaches.

Please do not anchor on the Oyster Beds which lie upstream of, and in the area of, Port Navas Creek entrance, or on the Eel Grass Beds off Grebe Beach, Durgan.

There are important oyster beds in Port Navas Creek and upstream of the mooring channel. Please ensure that you don't anchor in these areas.

The pontoons on the South bank at Helford Point are privately owned but you are welcome to land and leave your tender on them. The owner only asks that you respect his privacy. especially at night, and that you make a small contribution towards their upkeep. An honesty box for this purpose is on the side of the white hut above the pontoons.

You may also use the ferry landing stage at Helford Point to embark or disembark but tenders must not be left tied to either the slip or quay as this will impede the operation of the ferry.

On account of the importance of its marine life, which includes commercial oyster beds, the whole of the Helford River has been declared a Voluntary Marine Conservation Area.

You are asked to help conserve its marine life by not polluting the water, and by avoiding disturbance to the sand and mud flats, particularly the rich habitats on the lower shore at Helford Passage, downstream from Helford Point, at Calamansack and the eelgrass beds off-shore between Durgan and Toll Point.

In particular:

• Take care not to spill paint, oil or petrol on the water, as this can harm marine life.
• Do not throw anything overboard, and avoid contamination of the water with solid or liquid wastes.
• When painting, use only approved paint formulations. The marine life on the river has been damaged by use of paints containing TBT.
• The mud flats and shallow channels in the upper half of the river are occupied by commercial oyster beds. Please do not anchor, or disturb the oysters in any way.
• Please observe speed limits and avoid erosion of the river banks from excessive wash.
• Please do not dig for bait or shellfish.

For further information and free leaflets, contact the Helford Voluntary Marine Conservation Action Group.

All the tidal water of the Helford River, within the line (drawn 199° T) from Rosemullion Head to Dennis Head, is a designated bass nursery area.

Fishing from a boat. From 1st May to 31st December, fishing for bass from a boat, by any method, is an offence and, whilst fishing for other fish from a boat is still permitted, ALL bass caught must be returned to the water.

Fishing from the shore. Fishing for all major species of sea fish, including bass, from the shore within the River is permitted, but Fisheries Authorities (MAFF, EA, CSFC), all angling associations and the HVMCA Group, expect all bass to be returned to the water.

Minimum landing size for Bass. In the Cornwall Sea Fisheries District (CSFD), the Minimum Landing Size (MLS) for bass is 37.5cm (143/4 ins). By law all bass under this size must be returned to the water.

Netting. Under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act, it is prohibited to set nets (fixed engines) in The Helford River. The use of any drift nets or beach seines is discouraged and subject to further stringent regulations i.e. mesh sizes, target species, etc. The use of any nets with a mesh size between 65 and 89mm is prohibited anywhere in British Fishery Limits (out to 200 miles).

Minimum Landing Sizes for other species. Sea anglers (and fishermen) should remember that there are minimum landing sizes for all the major sea species of fish and that failure to observe the regulations can result in prosecution and heavy fines of £2,000 or £5,000 depending on which regulation is contravened.

Please do not dispose of your litter overboard or leave it ashore other than in the skips provided at the disposal points at Helford River Sailing Club, Port Navas Yacht Club and Helford Passage. Please help to keep the area as you would like to find it - free of litter.