Torbay's Marine World is a hidden jewel. At Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust we are trying to unlock the box to reveal this great jewel. The Bay has 16 marine sites of national importance, including Saltern Cove, designated an underwater Local Nature Reserve and the only local underwater Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The underwater sites in the Bay range from eel grass beds to fantastic limestone rock gullies and these habitats host many species, ranging from cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), jewel anemones (Corynactis viridis), honeycombe worms (Sabellaria alveolata) and the Devonshire cup corals (Caryophyllia amithii). One of the most important discoveries was finding both species of seahorses (Hippocampus hippocampus and Hippocampus guttulatus) in the Bay.

Through work by volunteers and by Trust staff, our records are increasing every day and we are slowly starting to understand the marine environment of our Bay as well as the complexities of its conservation.

Seagrass Project

With funding from the SITA Trust Landfill Tax we have recently launched the Seagrass Project and employed Dominic Flint as project officer to map and survey the seagrass beds in Torbay's coastal waters. Diving teams have already been out to sites off Torre Abbey sands in Torquay and Elberry Cove in Brixham to examine the health of the beds, and Dominic is currently working with the Harbour Authority, Devon Sea Fisheries and English Nature to raise awareness of the need to protect them. If you would like further details download this news release or contact Dominic Flint on 01803 528841.

Education

For the next three years (2006 to 2009) between June and October we will be offering A Level students the opportunity to take part in an initiative called Shore Thing. This is part of MarLIN (the Marine Life Information Network) which works with schools to collect information on the marine life of rocky shores around Britain, focusing on climate change species. The data collected geso towards a national database of intertidal species in the whole of the UK. The project hopes to strengthen the links between education and marine research in the UK. For further details visit www.marlin.ac.uk/shore_thing

The Trust is working in partnership with many other conservation bodies and local groups to produce a Biodiversity Action Plan for Torbay's marine wildlife. Download the draft here