Press Release
‘CITIZEN SCIENCE’, ‘LOBSTER-TAGGING’ AND ‘EDUCATION’ AMONGST LATEST ROUND OF PROJECTS FUNDED TO SUPPORT THE
HEALTH OF UK SEAS
Eight UK marine conservation
charities and projects are set to benefit from the latest round of Sea-Changers’ grants. The money is raised by fundraising with scuba
divers, sailors and cruise-goers, via the charity’s
marine business partners such as Mike’s Dive
Store, Boat Sharefinder and Hebridean Island Cruises. The money, raised and
donated by lovers of the sea, has been allocated by Sea-Changers, the marine
conservation fund-raising charity, through its latest series of grant awards.
“We’ve raised a
very useful amount of money for this round of awards,” said Helen Webb, Co-Founder of Sea-Changers. “This means we can award up to £1,000 for some projects, which might not sound a lot,
but it can make a lot of difference to projects around the UK’s shores.”
The latest round of grants will
help support a diverse mix of good causes, from ‘citizen
science’
projects which demonstrate the growing
involvement of local communities in recording the species found around their
local coastlines; to research into lobster populations to help ensure they are
fished sustainably. Another interesting project will help establish a number of
voluntary ‘Water Wardens’ around
the Northumbrian coast.
“Schools are very important to us as well. We’re funding an exciting project in Devon to help school
children understand the science of marine pollution and microplastics.” Helen Webb, Co-Founder of Sea-Changers
Grant
awards have been made to projects right around the UK, from Scotland to the
South West and from the Isle of Man to the north-east of England.
Grants have been made to the
following organisations and projects:
Baie Ny Carrickey Crustacean
Fisheries Management Association (BNCCFMA) - To fund a project that will tag 2000 lobsters over the summer within
the Baie Ny Carrickey closed area to enable more effective local management
measures, such as increased minimum landing size of lobsters and
population-forecasting.
Fin Fighters - To run a citizen shark science programme that will
radically enhance studies and data collection on specific species in the UK and
around the Atlantic.
Bug Life – To part fund the National Seashell Survey Citizen
Science project which is aimed at increasing the knowledge and recording of
marine mollusc diversity across the UK coast.
Whale and Dolphin
Conservation (WDC) –
To buy equipment to be used by the
Shorewatch volunteer-led citizen science project, co-ordinated from the
Scottish Dolphin Centre on the Moray Firth.
Appledore Sustainable Fish – To promote the conservation of sharks that swim off
the North Devon coast through a series of events involving the Shark Trust,
community groups and churches and the Appledore Carnival.
Community of Arran Seabed
Trust (COAST) - To increase awareness
of South Arran Marine Protected Area (one of the first Scottish Marine
Protected Areas (MPAs) to be legally enforced) through a pop-up exhibition
(banners, leaflets and educational materials).
Northumberland Wildlife
Trust –
To establish a group of 15 Water Wardens
who will adopt a stretch of coast and carry out regular litter picks, weighing
and reporting on the litter collected.
Sea Dream – To run an inter-school marine awareness campaign in
South Devon with a focus on plastics in the ocean. Schools will take part in a
combination of linked activities to contribute to actual research; including
beachcombing, litter picking, performing timed specific distance litter surveys
and, taking and analysing water and sediment samples to look for microplastics.
(More details and a full list
of funded projects will be published online at www.sea-changers.org)
Sea-Changers was established as
a charity in May 2011, with the sole purpose of raising funds for UK marine
conservation projects. Since then, individuals and businesses all around the
country have been joining a growing body of ‘sea-changers’ keen to protect the seas around the UK by supporting
this important cause.
ENDS
Notes to editors
General
About Sea-Changers
1.
Sea-Changers is a charity with the mission of raising thousands of pounds for
marine conservation charities, primarily in the UK. Registered Charity No.
England and Wales No. 1142119.
2.
Sea-Changers was founded by Helen Webb and Rachel Lopata. They run the organisation
on a voluntary basis, with the support of a wider network of volunteers.
3. Sea-Changers works through
partnerships with commercial organisations which serve consumers who are
accessing, enjoying or travelling via the sea.
About The Sea-Changers Grant
Process
1.
Grants are open
to UK-based marine conservation charities and projects.
2.
Grant decisions
are made by Sea-Changers’ Trustees with specialist advice provided by marine
biologist, Helen Scales and in line with Sea-Changers’ agreed funding policy.
3.
Funding rounds
take place at regular intervals through the year. Sea-Changers is keen to hear
from marine conservation projects to discuss future grant applications and
eligibility. The deadline for the next grant round is the 30th of September
2016.
Contacts
Further information about
Sea-Changers can be found at www.sea-changers.org.uk
For further information and
image requests, please contact:
Helen Webb, Co-Founder
Tel: 07909 897867
Email: helen@sea-changers.org.uk
