At sea

Whilst we've made some good progress over the past 10 years there are still massive problems facing our seas. Our fishing industry is not yet sustainable, our network of Marine Protected Areas is not yet complete, marine creatures are killed every day by pollution and our marine planning system does not yet incorporate all the activities in the sea. We believe that the UK can do better in balancing the needs of both people and wildlife.

Five main challenges remain:

1. Protected areas - there are not enough protected wild places at sea. The UK’s network of Marine Protected Areas needs to protect the whole range of wildlife in our seas.
2. Fishing – after the significant reform of the Common Fisheries Policy we have begun to see some of our fish stocks recover. But there are still significant discard issues.  We need to make sure that this process is continued which will benefit jobs, consumers and wildlife.
3. Lack of planning – fishing, oil rigs, wind farms and gravel extraction from the seabed all take a huge toll on UK seas, fragile seabed habitats and the wildlife that lives in them; we need to plan our seas to ensure there is space for wildlife to recover and to provide certainty to industry about where they can develop and fish. 
4. Severe pollution – sewage, farming chemicals, plastic litter washed out to sea, abandoned fishing nets and noise pollution from new developments at sea are killing wildlife and adversely affecting human health.
5. Human behaviour – our success in tackling these threats ultimately rests on people’s understanding and accepting the need for change.

Through sustainable, prioritised marine planning and a joined-up network of Marine Protected Areas, we can safeguard marine wildlife and help the livelihoods of the many people who depend on the sea.

• Campaigning for Marine Protected Areas - we campaign for parts of the seabed and the sea to be protected from damaging activities
• Fisheries policy - balanced fishing policies that help to protect our marine environment and ensure a sustainable fishing industry
• Surveying - we run surveys along the coast and under the sea to gather information on marine habitats and wildlife
• Advising on development - we help to ensure that developments at sea, like wind farms, avoid the most important parts of the sea for wildlife
• Inspiring people about the sea - we run events around the coast from talks to rockpool rambles and underwater snorkel safaris

Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Your Shore Network has transformed volunteer-led marine conservation hugely over the last 15 years. Beginning with a single area focused community project in 2007, the Network has evolved through the years with 18 local marine conservation groups around the county now in existence. These groups, collectively forming the Your Shore Network, are a nationally recognised, powerful local movement, bringing together partners from local business, conservation and community to take sustainable action for Cornwall’s coast and marine environment through skills development, research, community-driven initiatives and individual behaviour change. They engage with people of all ages and abilities and from all backgrounds, encouraging conversations, increasing knowledge and understanding, and empowering people to make a difference whoever they may be.

On the ground, the local marine conservation groups within the Your Shore Network provide a focussed platform for wider access to the marine environment, and to encourage education, awareness, and research. The groups deliver a range of educational and engagement events including beach cleans, rockpool rambles, sea watches, snorkel safaris and more, aimed at inspiring their communities and visitors to explore the coastal environment and take action to protect their local area. The dedicated volunteers also contribute an astounding amount of monitoring data through various citizen science projects such as Shoreseach, Seasearch, Seaquest Southwest and Marine Strandings. This evidence supports our understanding of the natural capital value of our marine and coastal areas, our ocean’s health and our ability to influence longer term sustainable management.

The Impact of this unique Network is significant having engaged over 73,000 people in its existence!

Morecambe Bay, like many coastal communities in the North West of England, has been impacted heavily by loneliness and isolation during the global pandemic. The Bay is a Nature and Wellbeing Programme, offering people living in Morecambe Bay the opportunity to get outdoors, connect with nature, and take part in a range of activities which cover the 5 Ways to Wellbeing. Created by partner organisations; The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, The Eden Project, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, the two-year project is based in Barrow-in-Furness, Morecambe and Wyre. By taking part in activities such as beach cleans, nature walks and rock pooling, as well as having opportunities to learn new skills, participants connect and take action for nature in Morecambe Bay, as well as connecting with other people.

Scottish Wildlife Trust’s award-winning snorkel trails encourage people to experience the wonder beneath the waves. Snorkel maps lead snorkelers around special sites around the country that showcase the amazing diversity of Scotland’s seas. From small sea squirts, sponges and anemones to dolphins, whales and basking sharks, there’s a whole world to explore!