Moving on from Plymouth Sound, travel deeper into the waters off the British coast. Discover the rich diversity of animals, plants and undersea landscapes and find out how important we all are in protecting the sea's resources for our future.
The Aquarium's centrepiece exhibit, Eddystone Reef, is modelled on one of the finest examples of an offshore reef in British coastal waters. Eddystone Reef is a shining example of the diversity of life in our waters - kelp forests sway in the surface waters above rocks cloaked in a dazzling array of Anemones and Corals. Resident Wrasse and visiting Bass make a living from the rich supply of food on this British coastal reef. Eddystone Reef is a nationally recognised dive site, has a fascinating maritime history, is a candidate Special Area of Conservation and is one of the Marine Conservation Society-nominated sites for Marine Conservation Zone status.
British coastal seas support dwindling populations of native Seahorses, threatened by a combination of factors including the loss of their preferred habitat - seagrass. The Aquarium's Saving Seahorses Centre, operated in collaboration with the Seahorse Trust, will be developed as a hub for breeding Seahorses, monitoring their behaviour, understanding their needs and linking to field projects. Within Plymouth Sound there are a number of locations that could, and should, provide a home for Seahorses. The National Marine Aquarium is working with a range of partners to identify, survey, monitor and protect these sites to ensure that our local Seahorses have the best chance of survival.
We all have to make sure there are enough fish in the sea for other animals to eat as well as to supply our own needs. It is important, therefore, that we try to choose fish that are sustainably caught.
The MCS Good Fish Guide 2009 recommends avoiding some fish species altogether and eating other species occasionally. It also highlights the ones that are okay to eat occasionally.
If you are not sure, ask your fishmonger, fish restaurant or chippy where they sourced their fish and how they were caught.
| Avoid | Eat occasionally | Good to eat |
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On 27th March 2004, a Royal Navy Leander-class frigate, the ex-HMS Scylla, was deliberately sunk in Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, to create an artificial reef, a project managed by the National Marine Aquarium. This date marked the start of a 10-year monitoring programme carried out by the Aquarium on behalf of DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). The monitoring programme includes a study on the colonisation of the vessel by marine organisms. Six years on the reef is supporting a rich array of marine life and continues to be the focus of many research projects and papers.
For more details about the research and monitoring programme visit www.divescylla.com
The National Marine Aquarium encourages cautious and respectful diving at the Scylla Reef. For more information visit www.divescylla.com
Click here to visit our next zone "Atlantic Ocean"
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