Seasearch Achievements

1. Survey reports - either in summary form or full reports. All of the Summary Reports and most of the Full Reports can be downloaded from this site

To view and download an illustrated summary of our activities in 2007, 2008 & 2010 click one of the following links:

Seasearch produces Survey Reports for individual surveys and area summaries. The majority can be downloaded below in PDF format. Some of the earlier Seasearch and MCS surveys. are only available in paper format on request (or CD where shown). A charge will be made for supplying any of these reports to cover their preparation and copying. We are gradually making PDFs from all of the older surveys.

Many of the reports are summary reports which include a summary of the surveys undertaken and of the findings and include maps/charts and a summary list of species recorded. Others are more detailed with full descriptions of individual sites and a comprehensive species list. The data in the reports is also on the National Biodiversity Network website.

The 180+ reports currently available are shown on the map and listed below (arranged from north to south by country and date) Just click on the report name to access the PDF. For CDs or paper copies contact NationalCoordinator.

	SCOTLAND
1981	Summer Isles, Ross and Cromarty (UCS)	full	PDF
1981	Coll and Tiree (UCS)	full	paper
1983	Central Firth of Lorne (MCS)	full	PDF
1983	Loch Roag, Lewis (UCS)	full	PDF
1986	Loch Eriboll, Sutherland	full	PDF
1987	Loch Sunart	full	paper
1987	Sublittoral Survey of Shetland (MCS)	full	PDF
1988	Canna	full	paper
1988	Loch Broom and Little Loch Broom	full	paper
1988	Skye	full	paper
1989	Gruinard Bay, Loch Ewe and Gairloch	full	paper
1989	Loch Ryan	full	PDF
1990	Loch Craignish	full	paper
1992	Berwickshire	full	paper
1996	Summer Isles	full	paper
1999	Islay - 1999	summary	PDF
2000	Loch Torridon- August 2000	summary	PDF
2000	Loch Torridon- August 2000	full	PDF
2001	Loch Torridon - June 2001	summary	PDF
2000-2001	Loch Torridon June 2001	full	PDF
2001-2002	Isle of May 2001 & 2002	summary	PDF
2001-2002	Isle of May	full	paper
2002	Loch Roag - March/April 2002	summary	PDF
2002	Loch Roag 2002	full	PDF
2002	Cape Wrath - May 2002	summary	PDF
2002	Cape Wrath 2002	full	PDF
2003	Isle of Coll - June 2003	summary	PDF
2003	Isle of Coll 2003	full	PDF
2003	Arran, Lamlash Bay - Summer 2003	summary	PDF
2003	Lamlash Bay, Isle of Arran 2003	full	PDF
2003	Oberon Bank - August 2003	summary	PDF
2003	Oberon Bank Fanshell Survey 2003	full	PDF
2004	Rum - June 2004	summary	PDF
2005	Firth of Lorn, Northern Sea Fan Survey - April 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Kilbrannan Sound - July 2005	summary	PDF
2005	*Loch Shira Pachycerianthus* survey - Sept/Oct 2005**	summary	PDF
2005	Caithness and Pentland Skerries 2005	summary	PDF
2006	Loch Shira April 2006	summary	PDF
2006	Sanda Island - July 2006	summary	PDF
2007	Insh lsland Sea Fan survey - May 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Inchmarnock Island - June 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Moray Coast, North Aberdeenshire 2003-2007	summary	PDF
2008	Upper Loch Fyne - April 2008	summary	PDF
2009	Northern Sea Fans in the Firth of Lorn 2007-2009	full	PDF
2011	Fireworks Anemone Surveys 2009-2011	full	PDF
2010	Scotland Summary 2010	summary	PDF

	NORTHERN IRELAND
2005	Rathlin Island 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Strangford Lough 2005	summary	PDF
2006	Isle of Muck and Maidens 2005-6	summary	PDF
2006	Skerries (Northern Ireland) 2006	summary	PDF
2007	Northern Ireland Summary 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Northern Ireland North Coast 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Rathlin Island 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Strangford Lough 2007	summary	PDF
2008	Northern Ireland Summary 2008	summary	PDF
2008	Northern Ireland Seagrass Surveys 2008	summary	PDF
2009	Northern Ireland Summary 2009	summary	PDF
2009	Northern Ireland Red Bay Surveys 2009	summary	PDF
2009	N Ireland Ballyhenry Seagrass Survey 2009	summary	PDF
2010	Northern Ireland Summary 2010	summary	PDF

	WALES
1993-1998	Stackpole Quay	full	paper
1993-1998	Stackpole Quay	summary	PDF
1995	Gower	full	paper
1995-1999	North Wales	summary	paper
1996	North Anglesey Seasearch 1996 (Menai SAC)	summary	paper
2002	East Anglesey Seasearch Weekend 2002	summary	PDF
2003	Llyn Peninsula Weekend 24-25th May 2003	summary	PDF
2003	South Wales Seasearch and Fan Shell Survey June-August 2003	summary	PDF
2003	South Wales Fanshell Survey	full	paper
2003	Skomer Weekend 23rd-25th August 2003	summary	PDF
2004	NW Anglesey - May 2004	summary	PDF
2004	Llyn Peninsula - June 2004	summary	PDF
2004	Milford Haven - October 2004	summary	PDF
2004	Skokholm 2004	summary	PDF
2004	North Pembrokeshire 2002-2004	summary	PDF
2005	Sarn Cynfelin - April 2005	summary	PDF
2005	West Anglesey - June 2005	summary	PDF
2005	North Llyn - Aug/Sept 2005	summary	PDF
2005	The Smalls - July 2005	summary	PDF
2005	South Pembrokeshire 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Gower - September 2005	summary	PDF
2006	Aberystwyth and Sarn Cynfelin 2005-2006	summary	PDF
2006	Milford Haven 2005-2006	summary	PDF
2006	Skokholm 2005-2006	summary	PDF
2006	North Angelsey 2005-2006	summary	PDF
2006	West Anglesey 2006	summary	PDF
2006	South Llyn July 2006	summary	PDF
2006	North Llyn August 2006	summary	PDF
2006	Gateholm 2006	summary	PDF
2006	Linney Head, Pembrokeshire 2006	summary	PDF
2006	Smalls and Grassholm 2006	summary	PDF
2007	North Llyn 2007	summary	PDF
2007	South Llyn 2007	summary	PDF
2007	St Brides, Pembrokeshire 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Milford Haven Summary 2007	summary	PDF
2008	North Anglesey - August 2008	summary	PDF
2008	South Wales Summary 2007-2008	summary	PDF
2008	Cardigan Bay 2007-2008	summary	PDF
2008	North Pembrokeshire 2005-2008	summary	PDF
2009	Skomer Marine Nature Rerserve 2009	summary	PDF
2009	Wales Summary 2009	summary	PDF
2009	North Wales Eggcase Surveys 2009	summary	PDF
2010	Wales Crawfish Project 2010	full	PDF
2010	South Pembrokeshire Summary 2009-2010	summary	PDF
2010	Wales Summary 2010	summary	PDF
2011	Seahorse habitat survey, South Cardigan Bay 2011	full	PDF

	ENGLAND
1984	Sussex Sublittoral Survey (MCS)	full	PDF
1986	Channel Tunnel Sublittoral Survey (MCS)	full	paper
1988	Flamborough Headland Sublittoral Survey (MCS)	full	PDF
1990	Sandstone Reefs, East Sussex	full	PDF
1992	Durham Coast	full	PDF
1992	Sublittoral Chalk Habitats in Southern England (MCS)	full	PDF
1992-1998	Sussex Seasearch 1992-1998	full	PDF
2001	Dorset Maerl and Seagrass - 2001 survey results	full	paper
2003	Pink Sea Fan Survey 2001-2002 (MCS)	full	PDF
2003	Newquay Weekend 3rd-5th May 2003	summary	PDF
2003	Manacles Weekend 25th-27th July 2003	summary	PDF
2003	South Devon Survey - July 2003	summary	PDF
2003	South Devon Reefs	full	paper
2003	Kent Summary 2003	summary	PDF
2003	Cornwall Summary 2003	summary	PDF
2004	Report of MCS Working Parties to Lundy 1997-2001	full	CD
2004	Jennycliffe, Plymouth Eelgrass Survey	full	PDF
2004	Lyme Bay - August-October 2004	summary	PDF
2004	Isles of Scilly - September 2004	summary	PDF
2004	Cornwall Summary 2004	summary	PDF
2004	Dorset Summary 2004	summary	PDF
2004	Norfolk Summary 2004	summary	PDF
2005	Pink sea fan surveys in Devon 2005 - Bigbury Bay & Lundy	summary	PDF
2005	Isles of Scilly - May 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Plymouth Reefs Weekend - June 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Plymouth Reefs and Seagrass weekend - August 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Dartmouth - 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Lyme Bay 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Norfolk 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Pink sea fan surveys in Cornwall 2004-5	summary	PDF
2005	Manacles - May & August 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Dorset 2005	summary	PDF
2005	Worbarrow Reefs Sea Fan Survey	full	PDF
2005	Kent 2005	summary	PDF
2006	Dorset Seasearch 1995-2004	full	CD
2006	Berry Head, Devon 2005-6	summary	PDF
2006	Isles of Scilly - May 2006	summary	PDF
2006	Lyme Bay - July 2006	summary	PDF
2006	Hants/Isle of Wight 2006	summary	PDF
2006	Cornwall 2006	summary	PDF
2007	Isles of Scilly - May 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Lyme Bay - June 2007	full	PDF
2007	Devon Summary 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Dorset Summary 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Hampshire/Isle of Wight Summary 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Cornwall Summary 2007	summary	PDF
2007	Kent Summary 2007	summary	PDF
2008	Pink Sea Fan Survey 2004-2006	full	PDF
2008	Isles of Scilly - 2008	summary	PDF
2008	Swanage Shrimp Survey - October 2008	full	PDF
2008	Devon Summary 2008	summary	PDF
2008	East Anglia Summary 2008	summary	PDF
2008	Farne Islands 2005-2008	summary	PDF
2008	Dorset Summary 2008	summary	PDF
2008	Hampshire and Isle of Wight Summary 2008	summary	PDF
2008	Kent Summary 2008	summary	PDF
2009	Brownsea Island Survey 2008	full	PDF
2009	Outer Mulberry re-visited October 2009	summary	PDF
2009	Plymouth Drop Off 2006-2009	full	PDF
2009	Durham Heritage Coast 2009	full	PDF
2009	Flamborough No Take Zone Survey 2009	full	PDF
2009	Spurn (Easlington/Dimlington) Reefs Survey 2009	full	PDF
2009	Devon Summary 2009	summary	PDF
2009	Hampshire & Isle of Wight Summary 2009	summary	PDF
2009	East Anglia Summary 2009	summary	PDF
2009	Kent Summary 2009	summary	PDF
2009	Dorset Summary 2009	summary	PDF
2009	Sussex Summary 2009	summary	PDF
2009	England Summary 2009	summary	PDF
2010	Isles of Scilly 2010	summary	PDF
2010	Devon Summary 2010	summary	PDF
2010	Norfolk Chalk Report 2010	full	PDF
2010	Hampshire & Isle of Wight Summary 2010	summary	PDF
2010	Kent Summary 2010	summary	PDF
2010	Cornwall Summary 2010	summary	PDF
2010	East Anglia Summary 2010	summary	PDF
2010	Dorset Summary 2010	summary	PDF
2010	Sussex Chalk Reefs 2010	full	PDF

	CHANNEL ISLANDS
1985	Bay of Morlaix, Brittany 1985 (MCS)	full	paper
2007	Alderney 2007	full	PDF
2008	Sark 2008	full	PDF
2008	Alderney 2008	full	PDF
2010	Sark Survey 2010	full	PDF
2010	Sark Anemone Shrimp Survey 2010	full	PDF
2010	Alderney 2010	full	PDF

All of the Seasearch data, and data from earlier Marine Conservation Society surveys, is available to use and download from the National Biodiversity network website. Data can be searched for by species or by grid square and you can choose to see just the Seasearch data or data from all of the providers - In terms of marine data this means mainly Marine Nature Conservation Review and MarLIN data.

All of the Seasearch data up to and including 2010 is now available on the website.

All of the data from Seasearch surveys is being entered into Marine Recorder, the database used by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and all of the government conservation agencies and most local record centres. This data is available on request to any Marine Recorder user though a charge may be made for its provision. The data can be for a single survey or a group of surveys and summary information can also be provided in database or spreadsheet format in a number of Marine Recorder pre-determined 'snapshot' tables.

The data is supplied on Seasearch survey forms. The graph shows the great increase in recording effort since 2000 with the 2005 data being almost twice that of any previous year. Subsequently the level of information has been maintained and the proportion of 'higher value' Survey forms has increased. There was a further big increase in recording in 2009 with 40% more records received than in 2008 and a big increase in the proportion of the more detailed Survey Forms in 2010, 50% up on 2009.

A record 2,141 forms were submitted from dives carried out in 2010 and entered into the Marine Recorder database. They are listed below.

You can now view a summary of the Seasearch data for 2007-2010 in Google Earth.

If you have Google Earth installed on your computer clicking on the links below will open Google Earth and show locations for all of the Seasearch forms received in 2007-2010. Click on a point and you will see the date, type of form, the recorder and any comments on special features of the dive.

If you don't already have Google Earth on your computer you can download it for free from Google.

Seasearch data has been in high demand in 2010 for the three MCZ projects covering East and North East England (Net Gain), South and South East England (Balanced Seas) and South West England (Finding Sanctuary. Seasearch data is very valuable to their work as it is up to date, ground truthed and covers many areas for wihich there is no other similar data available. We understand it is also being used in Wales, though the process is less public there and we anticipate it will be used in Scotland when their programme gets underway in 2011.

A Seasearch team dived four sites in Lyme Bay in mid September 2010. Two years after the ban on bottom trawling in most of the Bay, the results are plain to see. Two of the sites visited were sites which had escaped the main brunt of the trawling because they had areas of upstanding reef. Here there was the typical range of fauna for the area seen at its best. Forests of sea fans, all in good condition, tall branching sponges and two Lyme Bay signature species, huge Phallusia sea-squirts and trumpet anemones.

The other two sites were known to have been badly damaged by scallop trawling three years ago. One was an area of low lying cobbles, the other small flat ledges. Here what was noiticeable was the number of small sessile animals, branching sponges, young sea fans and potato crisp bryozoans. These offer evidence that, once the pressure is taken off, the sea bed is capable of recovery and offer huge hope for all those areas that are eventually identified as marine conservation zones in the process currently taking place.

The pictures show Phallusia sea squirt, sponges and trumpet anemones (left) and a baby sea fan on one of the previously damaged sites (right). Photos Chris Wood

In North Wales Seasearch was kickstarted on the first day of survey in 2010 with the confirmation of carpet mussel beds, Musculus discors, the new Welsh Biodiversity Action Plan habitat, at old and new sites off North Anglesey. In September we undertook focussed surveys to find Musculus discors off the North Llyn Peninsula, and found it there too at two out of four sites surveyed. A 10cm sample was taken at one point in the bed and contained 632 individuals, which equates to 63,200 per m2. They provide a brilliant food source for feeding fish, starfish and crabs.

Mud with burrowing megafauna (including spoon worms) is a feature for which MCZ’s can be designated. Spoon worms (Maxmuellaria sp.) are an under recorded species and have only previously been recorded in the Solent and Kent. One of the most significant Seasearch surveys in Hampshire in 2010 confirmed that a previously noted population of spoon worms is still alive and well at St. Helens Roads, East Isle of Wight. During the dive several burrows and feeding tentacles were observed. The distinctive looking angular crab (Goneplax rhomboides) was also recorded. These two species are often seen together as they are both burrowing megafauna favouring soft fine mud habitats.

Seasearch East's project for 2010 was to start mapping the extent of Norfolk's chalk reefs. It was thought that the chalk stretched for around 8km but the summer’s dives discovered that these reefs run for over 30km. We've covered 75% of this distance diving from the shore and the mighty Seasearch East boat 'Mr Squashy' which has sidescan sonar to help locate seabed features.
The highlight of the surveying was the discovery of a row of 2m high chalk arches on the clearest day of the year - shown below.
The summer's finds have really fired up the region’s volunteers. Local divers are really starting to take a pride in their local diving and as water temperatures climbed to 20 degrees there were even jealous looks from Seasearchers in traditional diving strongholds.

The chalk discovery made the national press (Times, Telegraph and Mail) being variously described as "The Great Barrier Reef.....of Norfolk" (Daily Mail) and the "White Cliffs of Norfolk " (Metro). A full report of this survey can be downloaded from the list above.

This was the most ambitious dive of 2010, visiting these two isolated and uninhabited islands some 45 nautical miles north-west of Cape Wrath. There were no previous Seasearch records whatsoever and we managed to spend 4 days surveying 10 sites around the two islands. Even more isolated than St Kilda, Sula Sgeir also hosts a huge gannet colony and whilst waiting in the water for the boat, the sky above was thick with gannets (right). In such an exposed location there were few surprises in terms of the marine life with prolific walls of anemones, including Phellia gausapata, the warted corklet which is only found in extremely exposed locations (photo below). In the shallows dabberlocks, Alaria esculenta, another exposed sites speciality, was abundant. It was noticeable that populations of crabs and lobsters remain high here, due to the very low incidence of potting.

Weekends in July and August 2010 targeted sites around Caldey Island and Lydstep. Extensive mussel beds were recorded and a wide diversity and high numbers of crustaceans. Grey triggerfish were recorded at two of the sites. Two additional spot dives were made to ground truth sites identified by drop down video as potential native oyster grounds. The divers confirmed the presence of old oyster shells but there was no evidence of live ones.

A successful weekend in June 2010 visited four sites in North Devon at Coombe Martin, Baggy Stone and Morte Point. We have been trying to get data from North Devon for some years but, apart from Lundy, the weather has always foiled us. Records included dense hydroid turf, mussel beds and two Biodiversity Action Plan species, anglerfish (monkfish) and crawfish. There was a second successful weekend in September making this the best year ever for records from North Devon.

Last surveyed in 1989, new sites were recorded on Lismore’s west coast in 2010, off the southwest tip, off eastern Eilean Dubh, off east Eilean Balnagowan, on north Bernara and around the small islands at Lismore’s northern tip. Highlights included celtic featherstars (Leptometra celtica) at Tom na Faire, northern sea fans at Bernara and flameshells in Appin narrows. Flame shells (photo right) are very delicate and so were handled at a minimum and with great care.

During 2007 Seasearch undertook an exercise to attach JNCC biotope codes to Seasearch SurveyData. This demonstrated the difficulties of using the biotope codes as they currently stand. A document was produced and tested to assist in the allocation of Biotopes and can be downloaded below. In addition this work led to the revision of the Seasearch Survey Form and Guidance and a radical change in the Seasearch Surveyor Course in spring 2008.

This work was carried out under contract to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and a copy of the report can be downloaded.

We have continued to work on biotope allocation and for the 2008 data have trialled a simplified approach which we have called the Seasearch Rough Guide to Biotopes. This has enabled us to biotope code 80% of the 2008 Survey Form records.

In September 2008 the Scottish Government created Scotland’s first ‘No-Take Zone’ in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran. All fishing within the specified area is banned while a scientific trial will be carried out to investigate the fishery and bio-diversity benefits of leaving the seabed to regenerate naturally without any disturbance.

Seasearch evidence gathered by COAST divers helped provide the underpinning evidence for the proposals for Lamlash Bay.

Seasearch data on the damage caused to pink sea fans by scallop dredging in Lyme Bay has contributed to the evidence on which a decision was taken in August 2008 to ban mobile fishing gear in 10% of the bay, including all of the rocky reef areas. Seasearch is taking part in the monitoring following the ban.

In North Wales Seasearch data was used by the Countryside Council for Wales to help identify reef areas for inclusion in Special Areas of Conservation. The map below includes Seasearch data from a range of sites over a period of time.

Seasearch information has been used to identify Marine Sites of Nature Conservation Importance in Sussex - designated by the County and City Councils and supported by local marine user groups. The location of the first 12 sites, designated in 1996, is shown in the map below. A second tranche of sites is to be designated as a result of further Seasearch studies.

The Arran COAST group have used Seasearch to gather information about habitats and species in Lamlash Bay, Arran. COAST divers completed 42 forms in 2004 from a variety of sites where they discovered a 4km long eelgrass bed – a biodiversity action plan habitat
and also found one of the healthiest maerl beds in the Clyde estuary. The information they were able to provide ensured that a pipeline which would have gone through the maerl bed was moved to a less sensitive location.

Seasearch records and surveys have led to the identification of a number of species new to Britain and Ireland or the areas in which they were found:

A colony of mantis shrimps, rarely seen by divers, was discovered in North Wales on a Seasearch dive. This has led to inclusion in a Special Area of Conservation and more detailed studies of the area.

The rare deep water brittlestar Asteronyx loveni, previously known only from sites more than 100m deep, was discovered on a Seasearch dive in Loch Torridon.

Jewel anemones, Corynactis viridis, were recorded from the Farne Islands, Northumberland, in 2005 - the first record for the North Sea. In 2007 a crawfish, Palinurus elephas, was found in the same area and another at St Abbs in 2008. These are new records for this part of the North Sea.

The red or Portuguese blenny, Parablennius ruber, has been recently recognised from a number of sites on the west coasts of Scotland, Ireland and in the Isles of Scilly. many of the records come from Seasearch dives. It is a new addition to the UK and Ireland marine fauna. In 2007 a related species, the striped blenny, Parablennius rouxi, was seen and photographed in south Devon. This is normally a Mediterranean species. The black faced blenny, Tritperygion deleasi, first recorded in England in Dorset in the 1970s is now regularly found in south Devon and there are also Seasearch records from south Cornwall.

Two new nudibranchs (sea slugs) for UK waters have been discovered on Seasearch dives in the south-west. Both are known from Portugal but these are the first records for Britain and Ireland. Discodoris rosi was found in the isles of Scilly during a Seasearch survey in 2008, whilst Trapania tartanella was found at The Manacles (Cornwall) in 2007.

Discodoris rosi (left) photographed by John Ives& Trapania tartanella (right) photographed by David Kipling

The anemone prawn, Periclimenes sagitiffer, occurs commonly in the tentacles of snakelocks anemones in the Channel Islands and to the south. This is the first record of one on the northern side of the English Channel, from Swanage in 2007. There is a report of a subsequent survey in 2008 amongst the summary survey reports above.

Seasearch has specifically targeted research on two species on the government's Biodiversity Action Plan lists, the Pink sea fan, Eunicella verrucosa, and the Sea fan anemone, Amphianthus dohrnii, which lives on it. The work has expanded the known range for sea fans, both to the north in Pembrokeshire and to the east in Dorset. It has also identified where the densest populations are and where the sea fans are and are not in good condition. The Sea fan anemone has been shown to be very rare indeed only being found at a small number of sites between Lands End and Plymouth, with the largest concentration in The Manacles.

Local sea fan surveys have also taken place in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset and a number of reports have been produced all of which can be downloaded from the list of reports above.

Continuing surveys are taking place on two wrecks in Whitsand Bay. On the Rosehill we are recording the numbers and location of sea fan anemones on specific sea fan colonies and on the Scylla we are recording the growth rates of sea fans which first appeared on the wreck in 2007.

The fan mussel, Atrina fragilis, the UK's largest mollusc, has also been the subject of dedicated MCS/Seasearch surveys in Devon, South Wales and the west of Scotland. A colony was discovered and recorded in 2004 in Plymouth Sound.

The pictures below show a living fanshell, with sea squirts and a brittle star on the exposed part of the shell (Photo: Sally Sharrock). To the right is the dead shell showing its damaged top to the left.

Negotiations are taking place with a view to preventing further damage to this population of rare shells by banning anchoring in the area where they are found.

Elsewhere single living shells have been recorded from Skye and Rathlin Island, and 4 living shells have been found intertidally in Salcombe.

The sunset cup-coral, Leptopsammia pruvoti, is known in Britain and Ireland only from Lundy, the Isles of Scilly, Plymouth, Lyme Bay and Sark. All of the known sites are regularly visited by Seasearch surveys to monitor the condition of the populations. Specific studies have taken place on Lundy and the Plymouth Drop Off where we are plotting the exact extent of the sunset coral populations. New sites for sunset corals have been discovered in the Isle of Scilly in 2007, 2008 and 2009..

The fireworks anemone, Pachycerianthus multiplicatus, is a recent addition to the BAP species lists. Seasearch surveys have been taking place at Loch Shira and Loch Fyne to assess the current status of the populations. Reports are available to download above.

Eelgrass beds, Zostera marina, occur in shallow waters and are easily damaged by physical impact from developments and moorings. Seasearch has surveyed the extent and condition of eelgrass beds in Northern Ireland, North and West Wales, Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Plymouth, the Isle of Wight and Alderney, Channel Islands. The surveys are an important contribution to the monitoring of this fragile habitat.