Living Seas is a national marine conservation campaign run by the Wildlife Trusts. The UK has a fabulously rich marine life, with many diverse habitats from estuary and mudflat, to high-rise clifftop and craggy coastline. It is home to the world’s second biggest fish - the plankton-eating basking shark – stunning coral gardens and that master of camouflage, the cuttlefish. Britain and Ireland serve as summer feeding grounds for whales, including minke whales, pilots and orcas, and as a year-round habitat for dolphins and porpoises. As well as the bottlenose dolphin, the white-beaked, common, Atlantic white-sided and Risso’s dolphin are also seen off our coasts.
Marine conservation is an essential part of the work of The Wildlife Trusts, and brings a number of challenges. It is very different from land-based action – we cannot buy the seabed and declare it a reserve; we cannot send teams of volunteers with cutters and bowsaws to prune back a kelp forest; and we cannot let lose “herds” of limpets to graze on an algal meadow!
Marine conservation will only succeed if wider measures are employed. Our role must be that of watchdog, lobbyist and partnership builder, working with Government, regulators, industry and the public. Our marine environment is precious and must be protected for the future – we cannot allow our seas to die. For more information click here.
What is Happening in the North East?
Twelve Wildlife Trusts (from Northumberland down to Suffolk) have committed to working together to influence the development of Marine Protected Areas in the North Sea so as to achieve the greatest possible benefit for marine wildlife.
In the North East Wildlife Trusts are working together and are standing up for our marine wildlife. members of staff are actively involved in the process to identify and designate Marine Protected Areas in North East waters as part of the Net Gain project.
For further information , The Wildlife Trusts North Sea webpage www.northseawildlife.org.uk
What is Happening in Durham?
Recent survey dives in the North Sea have revealed some exciting finds, especially off the Durham Coast. During 2009 a team of Seasearch North East divers undertook a series of dives in an area that in the past had been heavily affected by the coal mining industry. Survey dives carried out in 1991 revealed several areas that were covered in a fine dark silt, in some places up to 50cm thick. In other areas sewage pollution was evident, while suspended black silt made visibility poor. The Seasearch North East surveys dives of 2009 revealed a much healthier environment and signs that the area is recovering. While some small lumps of coal and small areas of coal dust were recorded, these were not considered to be having an adverse effect due to the small quantities involved. An abundance of sessile filter feeding organisms, such as sponges, gave an indication that the water is now a lot cleaner than in 1991 and divers who carried out the surveys were surprised by the diversity of species and habitats they found, which some described as “teeming with life?
Species of particular interest to the surveyors included plaice and common sole, both priority species for conservation in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Sabellaria spinulosa worms were recorded at three sites. These are significant as the reefs they build are a Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat. Common lobster, edible crab, dahlia anemones, mussel beds, little cuttle and the sea slug Polycera quadrilineata were just some of the 94 species recorded throughout the dives. These important surveys have shown that marine habitats can recover from past declines if given the chance.
Click HERE to download a visual guide to the exciting discoveries made off the Durham Coast (pdf).
