SEAHORSES

While divers often see pipefish around the UK, perhaps not so many realise that their upright cousins, seahorses, can also be found in British coastal waters - mostly from the Channel Islands to North Wales. 

There are two species in the UK, both found living in eel grass beds, but very little information exists about how plentiful the species are.  The Seahorse Conservation Group is asking divers to report any sightings - please contact the Seahorse Nature Aquarium, The Quay, Exeter, Devon EX2 4AN. Tel: 01392 438538 for more information and a seahorse survey sheet. 

WHALES, DOLPHINS, PORPOISES

Over the last 25 years, the Sea Watch Foundation has been collecting information from over 1,000 people who have been reporting their sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises (collectively known as cetaceans). If you see any cetaceans then they would like to hear from you - Tel 01403  733900.  There are 27 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises inhabiting the seas around the UK - if you would like to try and identify which species you have seen, the Foundation has produced a simple colour photo ID guide.

BASKING SHARKS

Basking sharks - the World's second largest fish - are easy to spot!  Several hundred animals were seen in Cornish waters earlier this year, and others (in fewer numbers!) have, as usual, been seen elsewhere during the spring and summer months around the UK, returning after spending the winter nobody yet knows where!  There are projects underway to satellite tag some of these fish to discover where they do go in winter.  If ever you see a basking shark, the Marine Conservation Society would like to know!  They have been running a 'Basking Shark Watch' scheme for the past 10 years, collecting observations which have collectively helped increase our knowledge of this species, and guide further research.  For information, or a Basking Shark Watch sightings card, ring MCS on 01989  566017.

RAYS

The Shark Trust is asking divers to record any observations of rays that they make on their dives in UK waters.  Rays, the flattened relatives of sharks, are widely distributed around our coastline, and are quite abundant in some areas.  Yet, we still know relatively little about them. Although they often tend to favour areas of sand or gravel seabed in deeper water - perhaps not the most popular type of dive site - most divers will be lucky enough to encounter one every now and then.  If all these occasional sightings by divers can be collated, we can together provide a valuable hoard of information which can be used to benefit these fish.

This important new Shark Trust project aims to: determine what kind of sediments each species of ray favours; understand the seasonal and vertical distributions of rays; determine whether social behaviours observed in aquariums are normal in the wild; and determine what factors influence the settling, burying and distribution of rays.

The study is currently still at the developmental stage, and your observations of rays made during the last few months of 1998 and into 1999 will form part of a pilot survey.  Diver participation in this pilot phase will be important in shaping a larger initiative being designed to encourage divers and scientists to join forces in researching the behaviour and ecology of all sharks and rays.

For more details on this, and related studies, please send an SAE to Dr Philip Vas, c/o 15 Woodlands Avenue, Peel Green, Eccles, Manchester, M30 7GN.

OCEAN VIGIL

The Marine Conservation Society also has a comprehensive sightings project - Ocean Vigil - for all seafarers to record cetaceans, seals, seabirds and fish, as well as pollution and fishing activities.

ILLEGAL FISHING PRACTICES

The Ocean Vigil pack includes provision for reporting illegal fishing practices taking place.  Take care not to approach fishing boats too closely, but if you're able to give a location and name of the boat, that provides enough information for the authorities to follow up.  Take a photograph if you can do so safely.

Good News - *Wall of Death Drift Net Ban

Some good news for fish and marine mammals came out of an EU fisheries ministers meeting in June 1998. The *Wall of Death' drift-nets used in tuna fishing are due to be phased out from most EU waters by 2002.  These nets can currently still legally be up to 2.5km long, though some still extend to an incredible 20km!

These nets are responsible for killing thousands of marine mammals and numerous turtles each year, as a by-catch of the fishery, and environmental groups have been campaigning to have them banned for well over a decade.  This will be the first time that any type of fishing gear has been banned by the EU.

POLLUTION AND ILLEGAL DUMPING AT SEA

With regard to pollution etc the Environment Agency (previously National Rivers Authority) is responsible for all rivers out to the estuaries, so report any pollution problems or incidents etc you see to the local EA office.  Out at sea, the competent authorities are a bit complicated, depending on how far out you are, but the statutory agencies in the relevant country are a good first point of contact: English Nature in Peterborough (01733 455000), Scottish Natural Heritage in Edinburgh (0131 447 4784) and Countryside Council for Wales in Bangor (01248 370444).

SEWAGE

Turning to other sights we'd prefer not to experience: if you see sewage debris on a beach, Surfers against Sewage would like you to take a photo and send it to them (with a note of the date and location where taken) at 2 Rural Workshops, Wheal Kitty, St Agnes, Cornwall. TR5 0RD - they need as many photographs as possible for their campaigns for cleaner beaches and seas.

SEASEARCH SURVEY DIVING AND MARINE LIFE ID COURSES

Seasearch is an excellent project for divers to get involved in - recording the type of seabed and the types of plants and animals seen on a dive - and the results of all the surveys are now being centrally collected and co-ordinated - it's a very good way of contributing useful information at whatever level of detail you can - it certainly isn't necessary to be able to identify everything you see.  The recording forms have been simplified, and even a general description of the seabed type is helpful (and you can increase the amount of information you put on the recording forms, as you learn more!) 

There is quite an array of Seasearch dives organised throughout the summer months each the year, as well as marine life identification courses, and other conservation diving events (often run by local Marine Conservation Society groups). 

In Hampshire and Dorset, the local MCS Group run Seasearch dives during the summer months.  Contact Keith Broomfield (01703 676071) for more information about these and the programme of other marine life courses and recording days in this region.

In Sussex, Seasearch dives have been taking place during 1998 on the weekends of: 4/5 July, 18/19 July, 1/ 2  August, 15/16 August and 12/13 September. Call Robert Irving (01798 873581) if you're interested in the Sussex project.  You can visit the Sussex project at http://www.bpsnet.co.uk/seasearch/sussex.   The website has information about the project, and blank recording forms, details of how clubs can get involved and the location of the Marine Sites of Nature Conservation Importance off the Sussex coast.  A lovely new book 'Sussex Marine Life' has just come out - this is aimed to help with the Sussex Seasearch project, but it is relevant over a much larger area.  Available from MCS.

In South Wales, contact Kate Lock (01646 636736) for information on Seasearch dive dates. In Jersey, the local MCS group has been running several Seasearch dives throughout 1998.  In addition there were some marine life ID courses - e.g. a general one with Frances Dipper on 29/30 August, and one specifically on Sponges, Squirts and red Seaweeds on 13/14 June with Francis Bunker.  On July 18 they also held an underwater photography course with Linda Pitkin.  For details of all courses etc in Jersey, contact Sue Daly (01534 864541).

In Lancashire, there are several marine conservation and Seasearch dives organised throughout each summer - for a programme of events contact Angela Williams (01253 811796).

The South East MCS group has a number of marine life ID courses running at the ever popular Swanage: 'Part 1' courses (introductory marine life identification) and *Part 2' courses (on marine ecology) have been held this year.  For details of these, ring Gerry Casey on 10923 231575.

BASKING SHARKS

Britain's biggest fish, the basking shark, is finally to be fully protected in UK waters under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.  Following a Government announcement in March 2000, it will become illegal to hunt, kill, injure, or disturb the basking shark.  Growing to around 10m in length, and around 4-5 tonnes, not only is this the largest fish occurring around the British Isles, but it is also the second largest fish in the world, coming second only to the massive whale shark - and it feeds entirely on plankton.

Basking shark are often sighted off the Cornwall and Devon coasts from early May, as well as further north and off Ireland later in the summer - particularly on calm days when the tail and floppy dorsal fin break the surface of the water.  If you are lucky enough to encounter a basking shark, do contact the Marine Conservation Society and contribute to their basking shark sighting scheme.  Information from this scheme has already been used in the planning of further research and conservation projects for the species.

Surprisingly, very little is known about where basking sharks spend the colder months of the year, when plankton is scarce - do they stop feeding and move to deep water over winter, or do they migrate south?  There are projects currently underway to satellite tag some animals and try to discover their movements during the winter.

These huge animals grow slowly, reach maturity late, and give birth to just a few large young, and the species is therefore very vulnerable.  In the past, they have been taken in large numbers for their liver oil, meat, fins and cartilage.  Currently, the most valuable product is the fin which is much sought after by the East Asian food market for shark fin soup.  Even if not targeted for fisheries, basking sharks caught accidentally in fishing nets are sometimes killed just for their fins, or simply because killing them causes less damage to the fishing net - the dead animals are then dumped overboard.

The Shark Trust is now pushing for protection of the basking shark throughout all European waters, through full listing on Appendix II of the Bern Convention (on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats).  You can help in this campaign by collecting signatures for the petition, or by writing to your MP.  For more information from the Shark Trust, contact them on 01635 551150.

Finally, avoid Chinese restaurants which sell shark fin soup (lots are killed simply for their fins, and the rest is thrown back - sometimes with the animal still alive!)  - and, if you can, explain to them why you're going elsewhere!!