For those of you that don’t know about it, Shore Thing is an initiative of MarLIN, the Marine Life Information Network, working with schools and volunteer recorders to collect information on the marine life of rocky shores around Britain. All the information collected will be made available online and will help to build a picture of how things are now to measure change in the future.
Coastwise has been involved with Shore Thing at Abbotsham and Lee Bay for several years, and we carry out 6-monthly surveys on a strict protocol to provide some systematic data on the possible changing ecology along the North Devon Coast. This is a scientific process, but Daniel did have an opportunity to take a picture of a fine pipefish.
We also took the opportunity to combine Shore Thing with a Rockpool Ramble for the public, and were lucky to have a fine and warm window in the generally fairly yucky weather this summer has thrown at us so far.
Nigel Phillips, from North Somerset, has been asked by the Somerset Wildlife Trust to set up a marine group like Coastwise. He came along to see how we run events like Shore Thing and the Rockpool Ramble, and enjoyed the variety of rocky shore marine fauna that we are lucky to have at Lee Bay.