Living Seas

Select, Protect, Connect

UK seas have the potential to be among the most productive and wildlife-rich on Earth. Hidden beneath the surface are landscapes every bit as varied and beautiful as those we see on land with undersea cliffs, caves, mountains and dunes. Colourful reefs and other extraordinary habitats are home to many thousands of plants and animals, from tiny corals to the massive basking shark.

The UK’s seas are also our life support system. They absorb vast quantities of harmful ‘greenhouse’ gases, while releasing oxygen for us to breathe. The seas provide us with many everyday resources such as oil for energy, sand and gravel for construction and seafood. However only 2% of the UK’s seas have any legal protection and they are being destroyed at an alarming rate.

In 2007 ‘Petition Fish’ saw more than 170,000 signatures of support and this along with years of campaigning led to the Marine & Coastal Access Act in 2009. The UK Government has stated that it is committed to establishing a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) however it is vital to maintain pressure on all the UK Government’s to create a network of MPAs by 2012.

MPAs are sites in which human activities are restricted, safeguarding important habitats and wildlife. MPAs protect the wildlife within their boundaries and allow nature to recover and thrive. Carefully designed and well managed networks of MPAs can boost the health of the marine environment as a whole, helping it recover from past impacts and enabling it to sustain current pressures.

This summer we are asking you to show your support for MPAs by joining our ‘Petition Fish’ campaign. Every signature is vital to secure the protection of our living seas.

Sign Petition Fish Here

More ways to get involved and show your support:

• Visit the Trust’s HQ, the Wolseley Centre, during National Marine Week (30 July – 14 August) and find out more about Living Seas from our display in the Interpretation Room. You can also sign a scale while you’re here!

• Bring the children along to Playday at the Wolseley Centre on August 3, 11am – 4pm, to take part in the beach treasure hunt to learn about what should and what shouldn’t be found on the beach. And don’t forget to sign a scale while you’re here!
  

• Text ‘FISH’ with your name and postcode to 60777 (we’ll sign a scale with your name on for you)

• When on holiday at the seaside, look out for Petition Fish at Wildlife Trusts events (including rockpool rambles, porpoise-spotting, snorkelling plus dolphin and basking shark watches) and sign a scale.

You can also visit The Wildlife Trust’s website for a full overview of our Living Seas work around the country at www.wildlifetrusts.org/livingseas

Did you know…
1.    The UK's 11,073-miles of coastline is host to an amazing array of flora and fauna.
2.    More than 40,000 species, around 50% of the UK's plants and animals, live in our seas.
3.    Wherever you are in the UK, you're never more than 70-miles from the sea.
4.    Just 2% of the UK’s sea area has even a minimal level of protection for wildlife. 
5.    Less than 0.001% is fully protected from all damaging activities.
6.    In 2009, the EU Commission declared that 88% of monitored marine fish stocks were over-exploited.
7.    Almost one quarter of UK mammal species are marine.
8.    Two species of whale and dolphin have become extinct in UK waters in the last 200 years.
9.    Around 40% of the world’s grey seals are found in UK waters.
10.    Almost two thirds of Northern gannets are found in UK waters.

All images © Polly Whyte earthinfocus