Cornwall Wildlife Trust report highlights marine threats

Every year The Wildlife Trusts’ Living Seas teams compile a marine review which looks back at the extraordinary wildlife found in UK seas during the course of the year and reflects on the huge amount of work done to protect, restore and save our seas by staff, volunteers and others.

Research, monitoring and advances in technology have enabled scientists to uncover a wealth of new information about marine life.

Common Dolphin (Image: Stock Image)

Exciting discoveries show how much there is still to learn about UK seas and why legal protections are vital for wildlife and climate.

A 100-year-old Greenland shark washed up at Newlyn in Cornwall – the second ever UK stranding of this species.

These creatures have the longest lifespan of all vertebrates, making them vulnerable to overfishing. Protecting large areas of ocean is key to the future of long-living marine life.

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• 'Super-rare' Greenland shark stranded on Cornwall beach died of brain infection

Volunteers with Cornwall Wildlife Trust also discovered Babakina anadoni – a type of sea slug – the first official record of this species in UK waters.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust recorded a stranded Atlantic white-sided dolphin – the first time one has stranded in the UK in over 10 years.

Babakina adononi sea slug. Picture: Allen Murray (Image: Allen Murray)

There were plenty of sightings of humpback whales, too – including a young calf seen near the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall.

More than 75 humpbacks have been recorded by Cornwall Wildlife Trust since 2019. Sussex Wildlife Trust also recorded a humpback sighting near Brighton Marina.

In the summer, Cornwall Wildlife Trust reported huge numbers of octopus around the Lizard Peninsula. Experts believe it is the sign of a healthy population and possible octopus boom, an event last recorded over 70 years ago.

Common octopus. Picture: David Stephens (Image: David Stephens)

There were multiple reports of people irresponsibly disturbing marine life. The Wildlife Trusts encourage people to follow the WiSE scheme – a training course that promotes responsible wildlife watching.

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At St Austell Bay in Cornwall, vets confirmed that a stranded dolphin with catastrophic injuries had died as the result of a collision with a boat propeller.

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• Experts warn of increase in marine disturbances after dolphin struck by propeller

Several Wildlife Trusts started huge projects to restore seagrass – which can absorb and store carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.

Dolphin injured by boat strike. Picture: Jonathan Richardson (Image: Jonathan Richardson)

 Cornwall Wildlife Trust launched a seagrass restoration project with Seasalt Clothing, and helped seagrass recover by removing unused moorings in Falmouth Harbour.

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• Seasalt partners with Cornwall Wildlife Trust on seagrass restoration project

Abby Crosby, marine conservation officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: "It has been a year of highs and lows for Cornwall’s marine life. From newly recorded species of sea slug to the surge in octopus sightings this summer, the discoveries made around our Cornish coastline demonstrate just how incredible and unique our seas are.

Pollack in seagrass nursery. Picture: Matt Slater, Cornwall Wildlife Trust (Image: Matt Slater, Cornwall Wildlife Trust)

"But it’s clear that our oceans are under immense pressure – from climate change, development, fishing, pollution and recreation. This year we continued to receive reports of marine wildlife disturbance from water users, we recorded a very high number of dead stranded animals around our coast and we saw the devastating impact of avian flu on our wild seabird populations.

"Whilst it’s not all good news, these discoveries and sightings really highlight the importance and value of our regional conservation work.

"Not only are we collecting the information and data that we need to understand our environment better, but we’re continuing to place a spotlight on our coast and our seas, so that they get the recognition and protection they deserve in order to recover and thrive."