Seasearch

 

Volunteer divers and snorkellers working together for marine conservation

Image by Matt Slater - CWT  

Welcome to Seasearch

If you're a recreational diver or snorkeller looking for a new challenge, Seasearch offers an exciting way to learn about marine life while doing your bit to protect and restore our ocean.  By collecting information about the habitats, plants and animals that you see underwater, you'll be helping us track the health of our marine environments.

The project is led by the Marine Conservation Society with support from our coordinators and partner organisations.  We need data from sites all around Britain and Ireland, including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.  Wherever you dive, you can take part.

And you don't have to be a marine expert.  Our training courses will teach you everything you need to become a volunteer – whether it's with your club, your buddy or on a Seasearch dive expedition.

Any dive can be a Seasearch dive!


Information collected under the water about the marine life and where it lives has made a big difference to what's known about our seas.  Seasearch helps organisations involved with conservation and management by supplying them with information.  In recognition of its value, Seasearch receives funding from many of those organisations.

Become a Seasearch volunteer

Watch our video to learn more about the Seasearch programme

Read our latest blog posts...

How I became a snorkelling volunteer with Seasearch

Dec 21, 2023

Students with tutor on a Seasearch course.

Train to become a volunteer diver

Learn how to record your underwater sightings accurately to make them count for marine conservation.

Training programmes
Divers on a boat with a Seasearch flag

Recording your observations

Discover how we collect vital observations from marine habitats to educate, inform and create positive change.

Collecting data
Covers from Seasearch reports

How our work informs others

For over 30 years, we've been compiling extensive data and reports thanks to the surveys and work of our volunteers.

Browse our library

Facts & figures...

  • Over 1000 hours of underwater surveys completed every year

  • Our surveys cover the whole of Britain and Ireland, from the Minquiers to Muckle Flugga and Suffolk to the Skelligs

  • On average, we train 300 new volunteers every year

  • Our team includes over 900 qualified Observers and over 150 qualified Surveyors

  • Over 400 survey reports are available to download

  • Our volunteers have added almost 800,000 species records on the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas
Dive boat during a Seasearch survey trip

We are award winning!

Our programme and volunteers have won official recognition for the expertise and vital information they have created, including several winners at the NBN Awards.

Learn more

Get in Touch...

Let us know how we can help you.

Image by Georgie Bull