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.
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.
Read moreCombining 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 moreMany 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.
Read more
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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