Seagrass in the UK

I have spent countless hours diving in seagrass and my first real job in conservation was working for the Save Our Seagrass Citizen Science project for Paignton Zoo. Seagrass meadows have a special place in my heart; they are havens of life, acting as nurseries for some of our most favoured food fish, and many other overlooked gems like pipefish and cuttlefish. The UK is also home to two species of seahorse: Hippocampus hippocampus (short-snouted seahorse), and Hippocampus guttulatus (spiny seahorse). Eco-moorings have proven to be an incredible asset to UK seagrass beds, keeping mooring chains off of the seabed at low tide which are notorious for scouring the seabed; these moorings were being tested during my time at Plymouth and I am excited to see them being rolled out around the UK!

© Georgie Bull