14 Sep 2023
Our Sea Forest
Eric Smith tells his first-hand story of the loss of the Sussex kelp beds, and how a trawling ban has meant the forests are starting to recover.
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Vast kelp beds once supported a wondrous diversity of marine life. They absorbed carbon, filtered the water and protected the coast from storms. But by the mid-1980s, 96% of Sussex kelp had disappeared. We aim to bring it back.
Kelp are large brown seaweeds found along rocky shores. Like marine trees, kelp create a 'canopy' beneath which many species takes shelter and find food.
As this includes commercial fish and crustaceans, kelp supports local livelihoods as well as providing other benefits for nature, people and planet.
This pioneering legislation created one of the largest trawling prohibited areas in the UK in March 2021.
At the same time, the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project was formed to champion, study and facilitate the return of kelp through through progressive, coherent and collaborative action.
Qualifying and promoting these benefits can help marine recovery in the UK and beyond.
A healthy kelp ecosystem is an ideal nursery for juvenile fish providing a safe place to grow.
Seaweeds remove inorganic nutrients from water.
Abundant kelp beds can absorb the wave energy of storms which helps to protect our coastline.
Kelp and other essential fish habitats provide food and shelter for a huge variety of fish, crustaceans, invertebrates and other marine life.
Kelp absorbs carbon as it grows, and by supporting other marine life, contributes to the global carbon cycle.
Kelp provide spawning grounds for many commercial fish species, supporting significant commercial and recreational fisheries.
Kelp and the animals they support create superb wildlife experiences.
Kelp provides shelter and feeding grounds for seals and dolphins.
Drift seaweed that washes up on beaches can be used as a fertiliser.
One kelp can support up to 80,000 individual animals!
SKRP's research includes towed underwater cameras, Baited Remote Underwater Videos, eDNA analysis and carbon dating techniques alongside surveys of shellfish, landings data and interviews.
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Combining the efforts of divers, marine biologists, policy-makers, fishers, local sea users and citizen scientists, the SKRP is a collective journey. Read about their passion for kelp!
Read more![5179-blue-marine-sussex-kelp-sediment-infographic_graphic-only_v4[68]-1679383875.jpg](/img/asset/aW1hZ2VzLzUxNzktYmx1ZS1tYXJpbmUtc3Vzc2V4LWtlbHAtc2VkaW1lbnQtaW5mb2dyYXBoaWNfZ3JhcGhpYy1vbmx5X3Y0WzY4XS0xNjc5MzgzODc1LmpwZw==?w=480&h=320&fm=webp&s=f7b7015a03769f454941042d86ba5fb1)
Many factors may have changed since the 1980s, from poor water quality and increased sedimentation, to changing water temperature. SKRP is assessing the impact of these pressures
Read moreEric Smith tells his first-hand story of the loss of the Sussex kelp beds, and how a trawling ban has meant the forests are starting to recover.
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In Sussex, just a few hundred metres from busy coastal towns like Shoreham-by Sea, Worthing and Bognor Regis, a story of hope is emerging, as historic kelp forests lost for decades are beginning to flourish, demonstrating the ocean’s ability to recover when it’s protected from destructive fishing activity such as trawling.
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