Local voices - the people, their stories and ideas for a brighter future.
Asha is a local zoologist with a deep passion for the environment. Here she shares with us her love of the beautiful coastline of Cornwall.
I think that anyone who lives in Cornwall, Devon or other areas around the UK coastline know how lucky they are to live there. Both for aesthetic and recreational reasons as well as the educational and environmental aspects. Having lived near the coastline for almost six years now: three in Cornwall and three in Brighton, I am fully appreciative of being so close every day to this exciting and interesting habitat. The marine and coastal life in Cornwall shows a high species biodiversity ranging from sharks to cuttlefish, and corals to seaweeds. And it can provide a wealth of exciting discoveries and opportunities for anyone who is willing to look for them.
It is often thought that marine exploration and discoveries can only be achieved by the well-travelled snorkeler or scuba-diver, but this is not true at all. Although I have been snorkelling and scuba-diving before and can highly recommend them as an avenue to seeing those less shore friendly species, it is not essential at all. All you need to be able to witness the amazing sea life in these areas is access to a beach or coastline, and a spare few hours to go for a walk. It is surprisingly easy when wandering the beach to discover a unique species or mollusc or a crab hiding in a rock-pool or crevice.
For the past three years I have been studying zoology at the University of Sussex and during this time I have learnt first-hand the importance of protecting the many animals and plants this world supports. However, I am also highly aware of the negative human impacts that affect our environment and as a result, I am highly invested in the conservation and protection of animals and their habitats. I believe that it is enormously important, and the responsibility of human beings, to protect and conserve the species found in our local environment. In the growing environmental crisis, we now find ourselves facing I maintain that it is small changes made by each individual that will build up to create a bigger positive picture for the future of our planet.
I essentially aim to inspire and encourage anyone who is reading this to go out and help make a positive difference to our local marine and coastal environment, and the species living within them. We are in a unique position in Cornwall, and especially around Bude, to observe, study and work to protect the marine life found in this area. The oceans provide us with some of the most important, unusual and fascinating plants and animals on this planet, and we are privileged to be able to know more about them now than any generation has done before. Taking local action can help to learn more about, and raise awareness of, the charismatic and keystone species found along our shore, and how they can best be protected.
I think that anyone who lives in Cornwall, Devon or other areas around the UK coastline know how lucky they are to live there. Both for aesthetic and recreational reasons as well as the educational and environmental aspects. Having lived near the coastline for almost six years now: three in Cornwall and three in Brighton, I am fully appreciative of being so close every day to this exciting and interesting habitat. The marine and coastal life in Cornwall shows a high species biodiversity ranging from sharks to cuttlefish, and corals to seaweeds. And it can provide a wealth of exciting discoveries and opportunities for anyone who is willing to look for them.
It is often thought that marine exploration and discoveries can only be achieved by the well-travelled snorkeler or scuba-diver, but this is not true at all. Although I have been snorkelling and scuba-diving before and can highly recommend them as an avenue to seeing those less shore friendly species, it is not essential at all. All you need to be able to witness the amazing sea life in these areas is access to a beach or coastline, and a spare few hours to go for a walk. It is surprisingly easy when wandering the beach to discover a unique species or mollusc or a crab hiding in a rock-pool or crevice.
For the past three years I have been studying zoology at the University of Sussex and during this time I have learnt first-hand the importance of protecting the many animals and plants this world supports. However, I am also highly aware of the negative human impacts that affect our environment and as a result, I am highly invested in the conservation and protection of animals and their habitats. I believe that it is enormously important, and the responsibility of human beings, to protect and conserve the species found in our local environment. In the growing environmental crisis, we now find ourselves facing I maintain that it is small changes made by each individual that will build up to create a bigger positive picture for the future of our planet.
I essentially aim to inspire and encourage anyone who is reading this to go out and help make a positive difference to our local marine and coastal environment, and the species living within them. We are in a unique position in Cornwall, and especially around Bude, to observe, study and work to protect the marine life found in this area. The oceans provide us with some of the most important, unusual and fascinating plants and animals on this planet, and we are privileged to be able to know more about them now than any generation has done before. Taking local action can help to learn more about, and raise awareness of, the charismatic and keystone species found along our shore, and how they can best be protected.
The Biodiversity of Cornwall
There is a fascinating amount of unique and important species in Cornish waters and along the coast. However, I think that there is often a disconnect between people and the environment; they don’t always consider the local impacts of their actions, nor fully realise the diversity of their local area. Many species found in Cornwall are not typically thought to be found here, or even anywhere in the UK. However, your local area is home to many surprising species including sharks, octopus, cuttlefish and seals among many others.
As one of England’s most charismatic sea animals, seals are well known. They are distinctly recognizable and notoriously playful and inquisitive. They are actually marine mammals, meaning they rely on the ocean for their existence. Having swum with seals I can vouch for the fact that they are like dogs of the water. However, they can become aggressive when they feel threatened, so it is important to give them space. The grey seal, although now the most common species found in UK waters, was hunted to near extinction in the early 20th century due to demand for their oil, meat and skin. However, due to conservation measures, English grey seals have recovered and now represent 40% of the world’s population. Increased awareness of the threats that seals and other marine mammals face, which include entanglement in litter and fishing gear, will greatly help their recovery.
Cetaceans are a widespread and diverse group consisting of whales, dolphins and porpoises. 28 different species are seen in UK waters and of these 32% can be seen in the south-west. It is possible to see groups of harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphins from the coast. As well as facing many threats from human activities including competition with fisheries for food sources, habitat degradation and disturbance due to pollution and recreational activities, cetaceans can also become stranded. Overall, a total of 249 cetaceans were recorded as stranded along the Cornish coastline in 2017. To learn more about the causes of these strandings and take effective action the Cornish Wildlife Trust established the Marine Strandings Network. This aims to record all strandings around the Cornish coastline and carry out post-mortem examinations. To find about more visit http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/strandings.
Although grey seals, cetaceans and other large marine animals are abundant in Cornish waters it is unlikely that one will be spotted on a weekend beach visit or dog walk. It is more likely that something will be spotted in a rock pool or hiding in small crevices than sunbathing in the middle of the sand or swimming near to the shore. It might take a sharp eye and bit of searching to discover something. The species found in rock pools, particularly small fish, are often fast, flighty and prepared for escape. They can include rocklings, sea scorpions, gobies, flatfish, weaver fish and Cornish sucker fish. However, there are also many stationary species that are easier to see and study including molluscs, seaweed, starfish and crabs. For more specific detail on these rock-pool dwellers and help with identification please have a look at the ‘Explore’ page of the website.
Unfortunately, many of these important, charismatic and unique species are under increasing threats. I urge you to do what you can to help protect them. It can be enough to participate in a beach clean every month, or raise awareness in your local area, or helping to volunteer with conservation organisations. The Cornwall Wildlife Trust has lots of great resources and links to conservation organisations all around the Cornish coast that are working to raise awareness and help protect our important marine and coastal life. Check out their website and see what you can do for our fantastic marine life.
http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
There is a fascinating amount of unique and important species in Cornish waters and along the coast. However, I think that there is often a disconnect between people and the environment; they don’t always consider the local impacts of their actions, nor fully realise the diversity of their local area. Many species found in Cornwall are not typically thought to be found here, or even anywhere in the UK. However, your local area is home to many surprising species including sharks, octopus, cuttlefish and seals among many others.
As one of England’s most charismatic sea animals, seals are well known. They are distinctly recognizable and notoriously playful and inquisitive. They are actually marine mammals, meaning they rely on the ocean for their existence. Having swum with seals I can vouch for the fact that they are like dogs of the water. However, they can become aggressive when they feel threatened, so it is important to give them space. The grey seal, although now the most common species found in UK waters, was hunted to near extinction in the early 20th century due to demand for their oil, meat and skin. However, due to conservation measures, English grey seals have recovered and now represent 40% of the world’s population. Increased awareness of the threats that seals and other marine mammals face, which include entanglement in litter and fishing gear, will greatly help their recovery.
Cetaceans are a widespread and diverse group consisting of whales, dolphins and porpoises. 28 different species are seen in UK waters and of these 32% can be seen in the south-west. It is possible to see groups of harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphins from the coast. As well as facing many threats from human activities including competition with fisheries for food sources, habitat degradation and disturbance due to pollution and recreational activities, cetaceans can also become stranded. Overall, a total of 249 cetaceans were recorded as stranded along the Cornish coastline in 2017. To learn more about the causes of these strandings and take effective action the Cornish Wildlife Trust established the Marine Strandings Network. This aims to record all strandings around the Cornish coastline and carry out post-mortem examinations. To find about more visit http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/strandings.
Although grey seals, cetaceans and other large marine animals are abundant in Cornish waters it is unlikely that one will be spotted on a weekend beach visit or dog walk. It is more likely that something will be spotted in a rock pool or hiding in small crevices than sunbathing in the middle of the sand or swimming near to the shore. It might take a sharp eye and bit of searching to discover something. The species found in rock pools, particularly small fish, are often fast, flighty and prepared for escape. They can include rocklings, sea scorpions, gobies, flatfish, weaver fish and Cornish sucker fish. However, there are also many stationary species that are easier to see and study including molluscs, seaweed, starfish and crabs. For more specific detail on these rock-pool dwellers and help with identification please have a look at the ‘Explore’ page of the website.
Unfortunately, many of these important, charismatic and unique species are under increasing threats. I urge you to do what you can to help protect them. It can be enough to participate in a beach clean every month, or raise awareness in your local area, or helping to volunteer with conservation organisations. The Cornwall Wildlife Trust has lots of great resources and links to conservation organisations all around the Cornish coast that are working to raise awareness and help protect our important marine and coastal life. Check out their website and see what you can do for our fantastic marine life.
http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
Marine Conservation Zones:
What Are They and Are They Actually Effective?
I believe that it is important to encourage conservation through local action such as volunteering and raising awareness for environmental issues. However, there is still a need for government legislation to identify and protect important habitats, species and areas of conservation. This can include Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the EU Habitats Directive, and Marine Conservation Zones (MCZ).
Marine conservation can be challenging for both practical and political reasons. In international waters conservation measures are the collective responsibility of all nations. However, this also leaves them essentially unprotected by any official legislation and vulnerable to destructive activities such as trawling and pollution. This means it is increasingly important to protect the waters that we have access to. As I have previously written, the coastline surrounding Cornwall and Devon is high in biological diversity and therefore extremely important to protect, both through national legislation and our own actions.
Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) were established in 2009 as a marine nature reserve with the purpose of protecting nationally important, rare or threatened habitats and species. There are currently fifty MCZ's in England, covering approximately 20% of our waters (GOV.UK, 2013). The area from Hartland Point to Tintagel, became a Marine Conservation Zone in 2016 and protects a wide range of important geological and environment features that are crucial for the connectivity and protection of large intertidal habitats along the north coast of Devon and Cornwall .
The Hartland Point to Tintagel MCZ provides habitats for a mosaic of species including sponges, anemones, sea-fan corals and honeycomb worms. The honeycomb worm (Sabellaria alveolate) is a very important species in rocky habitats as they are ecosystem engineers, providing support for a range of shore-dwelling species. They build protective tubing from sand and shell fragments, which come together to form closely-packed colonies that resemble honeycomb. These structures can extend for many metres along the rocky coastline .
Management in MCZs can take several different forms but activities such as fishing, coastal development and recreation are usually regulated by the relevant bodies. Additional management measures are often only implemented if activities have a detrimental impact on environmental features. For some, this is considered a lack of proactive management and conservation efforts. These ‘paper zones’ are in fact doing little for conservation or improvement of the area. Relevant efforts are only put in place when the habitat or features are shown to be deteriorating. In my opinion this seems to be a dangerous policy as these landscapes that are apparently protected are in fact indistinguishable from regular waters. This means that coastal habitats around England are only maintained at a level deemed to be satisfactory and aren’t encouraged to improve, grow or flourish in terms of biological diversity. That, to me, seems like a shame and makes our own actions even more important in protecting our environment, whether in a Marine Conservation Zone or not.
What Are They and Are They Actually Effective?
I believe that it is important to encourage conservation through local action such as volunteering and raising awareness for environmental issues. However, there is still a need for government legislation to identify and protect important habitats, species and areas of conservation. This can include Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the EU Habitats Directive, and Marine Conservation Zones (MCZ).
Marine conservation can be challenging for both practical and political reasons. In international waters conservation measures are the collective responsibility of all nations. However, this also leaves them essentially unprotected by any official legislation and vulnerable to destructive activities such as trawling and pollution. This means it is increasingly important to protect the waters that we have access to. As I have previously written, the coastline surrounding Cornwall and Devon is high in biological diversity and therefore extremely important to protect, both through national legislation and our own actions.
Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) were established in 2009 as a marine nature reserve with the purpose of protecting nationally important, rare or threatened habitats and species. There are currently fifty MCZ's in England, covering approximately 20% of our waters (GOV.UK, 2013). The area from Hartland Point to Tintagel, became a Marine Conservation Zone in 2016 and protects a wide range of important geological and environment features that are crucial for the connectivity and protection of large intertidal habitats along the north coast of Devon and Cornwall .
The Hartland Point to Tintagel MCZ provides habitats for a mosaic of species including sponges, anemones, sea-fan corals and honeycomb worms. The honeycomb worm (Sabellaria alveolate) is a very important species in rocky habitats as they are ecosystem engineers, providing support for a range of shore-dwelling species. They build protective tubing from sand and shell fragments, which come together to form closely-packed colonies that resemble honeycomb. These structures can extend for many metres along the rocky coastline .
Management in MCZs can take several different forms but activities such as fishing, coastal development and recreation are usually regulated by the relevant bodies. Additional management measures are often only implemented if activities have a detrimental impact on environmental features. For some, this is considered a lack of proactive management and conservation efforts. These ‘paper zones’ are in fact doing little for conservation or improvement of the area. Relevant efforts are only put in place when the habitat or features are shown to be deteriorating. In my opinion this seems to be a dangerous policy as these landscapes that are apparently protected are in fact indistinguishable from regular waters. This means that coastal habitats around England are only maintained at a level deemed to be satisfactory and aren’t encouraged to improve, grow or flourish in terms of biological diversity. That, to me, seems like a shame and makes our own actions even more important in protecting our environment, whether in a Marine Conservation Zone or not.
For more information please visit the links below.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2016. Hartland Point to Tintagel Marine Conservation Zone.
Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492391/mcz-hartland-point-tintagel-factsheet.pdf
GOV.UK, 2013. Marine conservation zone designations in England.
Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/marine-conservation-zone-designations-in-england#2013-mcz-designation-orders-and-factsheets
Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority, 2016. Hartland Point to Tintagel MCZ Marine Conservation Zone.
Available at: https://secure.toolkitfiles.co.uk/clients/17099/sitedata/Maps/Hartland-Point-to-Tintagel-MCZ.pdf
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2016. Hartland Point to Tintagel Marine Conservation Zone.
Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/492391/mcz-hartland-point-tintagel-factsheet.pdf
GOV.UK, 2013. Marine conservation zone designations in England.
Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/marine-conservation-zone-designations-in-england#2013-mcz-designation-orders-and-factsheets
Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority, 2016. Hartland Point to Tintagel MCZ Marine Conservation Zone.
Available at: https://secure.toolkitfiles.co.uk/clients/17099/sitedata/Maps/Hartland-Point-to-Tintagel-MCZ.pdf
The big issue - culling invasive species that we introduce.
There are two oyster species present in Cornwall: the native common oyster (Ostrea edulis) and the
invasive Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas). Although it originated in Japan and south-east Asia, the
Pacific oyster has since been introduced to many regions around the globe including Europe and the
USA for use in aquaculture. However, the species can quickly spread and establish populations along
the coastline, outcompeting other important, native species. In addition, the Pacific oyster has also
been introduced unintentionally to countries such as New Zealand via ballast water or on the hulls of
ships. The fast and suffocating spread of the Pacific Oyster shows just how damaging invasive species
can be when introduced without proper research or knowledge of their ecology and potential
implications on the natural ecosystem.
The Pacific oyster was first introduced to Essex from Portugal in 1926 for use in aquaculture as a
commercial crop. It has since been farmed on over 300 sites in the UK [1] . Often the Pacific oyster is
introduced to replace or bolster the stocks of a native species, such as the common oyster, that has
been declining due to over-fishing. However, as with many introduced species that are farmed on a
large scale, some individuals escape, and populations can quickly establish themselves in the natural
environment, often causing large and sometimes harmful changes to native animals and ecosystems.
I think that little information is available or widely known about invasive alien species (IAS) and the
damage they can cause. Often people have heard about rats being introduced to islands and wiping
out the poorly adapted bird species. However, little is heard about invasive species that occur closer
to home, that we may not even know about. In England, one of the most famous examples is the
introduction of the grey squirrel, which has famously out-competed the native red squirrel for
numerous reasons including access to food resources and resistance to disease.
However other species such as the crayfish and the copyu are less well known about. England has at
least six species of invasive crayfish, the most abundant being the signal crayfish (Pacifastacus
leniusculus) which was introduced to Europe in the 1960s to supplement stocks of the native
European crayfish (Astacus astacus) [2] . The European crayfish population was suffering due to an
infectious disease and it was not known that the signal crayfish was the carrier. As a result, their
introduction damaged native populations and the local ecosystem due to burrowing in river banks.
The copyu has a more successful story; due to demand for fur the large herbivorous rodent was
introduced to England to be farmed in 1929. However, many escaped and caused extensive damage
to wetlands and agriculture. After numerous unsuccessful attempts they were finally eradicated in
1989 [3] .
Although there is a large stigma surrounding the practice of culling it has happened a lot more in the
UK than many realise, and when you understand the reasons behind it, you begin to understand that
in some cases there isn't a better alternative. It is irresponsible, unwise human actions that have
caused these introductions and invasions and it is entirely unfair for native animals to suffer from it.
Sometimes culling is what is needed to prevent the spread of these IAS and prevent them causing
more damage to rare, specialist and keystone species. It may seem harsh or cruel, but I believe that
it is necessary in some situations to retain environmental balance and attempt to undo the negative
effects that we have ultimately caused.
1. https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1676
2. https://www.buglife.org.uk/sites/default/files/Invasive%20crayfish%20species%20-
%20Profiles_0.pdf
3. http://www.nonnativespecies.org/factsheet/factsheet.cfm?speciesId=2282
invasive Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas). Although it originated in Japan and south-east Asia, the
Pacific oyster has since been introduced to many regions around the globe including Europe and the
USA for use in aquaculture. However, the species can quickly spread and establish populations along
the coastline, outcompeting other important, native species. In addition, the Pacific oyster has also
been introduced unintentionally to countries such as New Zealand via ballast water or on the hulls of
ships. The fast and suffocating spread of the Pacific Oyster shows just how damaging invasive species
can be when introduced without proper research or knowledge of their ecology and potential
implications on the natural ecosystem.
The Pacific oyster was first introduced to Essex from Portugal in 1926 for use in aquaculture as a
commercial crop. It has since been farmed on over 300 sites in the UK [1] . Often the Pacific oyster is
introduced to replace or bolster the stocks of a native species, such as the common oyster, that has
been declining due to over-fishing. However, as with many introduced species that are farmed on a
large scale, some individuals escape, and populations can quickly establish themselves in the natural
environment, often causing large and sometimes harmful changes to native animals and ecosystems.
I think that little information is available or widely known about invasive alien species (IAS) and the
damage they can cause. Often people have heard about rats being introduced to islands and wiping
out the poorly adapted bird species. However, little is heard about invasive species that occur closer
to home, that we may not even know about. In England, one of the most famous examples is the
introduction of the grey squirrel, which has famously out-competed the native red squirrel for
numerous reasons including access to food resources and resistance to disease.
However other species such as the crayfish and the copyu are less well known about. England has at
least six species of invasive crayfish, the most abundant being the signal crayfish (Pacifastacus
leniusculus) which was introduced to Europe in the 1960s to supplement stocks of the native
European crayfish (Astacus astacus) [2] . The European crayfish population was suffering due to an
infectious disease and it was not known that the signal crayfish was the carrier. As a result, their
introduction damaged native populations and the local ecosystem due to burrowing in river banks.
The copyu has a more successful story; due to demand for fur the large herbivorous rodent was
introduced to England to be farmed in 1929. However, many escaped and caused extensive damage
to wetlands and agriculture. After numerous unsuccessful attempts they were finally eradicated in
1989 [3] .
Although there is a large stigma surrounding the practice of culling it has happened a lot more in the
UK than many realise, and when you understand the reasons behind it, you begin to understand that
in some cases there isn't a better alternative. It is irresponsible, unwise human actions that have
caused these introductions and invasions and it is entirely unfair for native animals to suffer from it.
Sometimes culling is what is needed to prevent the spread of these IAS and prevent them causing
more damage to rare, specialist and keystone species. It may seem harsh or cruel, but I believe that
it is necessary in some situations to retain environmental balance and attempt to undo the negative
effects that we have ultimately caused.
1. https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/1676
2. https://www.buglife.org.uk/sites/default/files/Invasive%20crayfish%20species%20-
%20Profiles_0.pdf
3. http://www.nonnativespecies.org/factsheet/factsheet.cfm?speciesId=2282