Friday 12 August 2016

Hebridean Guests Continue to Support Marine Charity

Press Release

CITIZEN SCIENCE, LOBSTER-TAGGINGAND EDUCATIONAMONGST 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-Changersgrants. The money is raised by fundraising with scuba divers, sailors and cruise-goers, via the charitys marine business partners such as Mikes 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.

Weve 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 UKs shores.

The latest round of grants will help support a diverse mix of good causes, from citizen scienceprojects 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 Wardensaround the Northumbrian coast.

Schools are very important to us as well. Were 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-changerskeen 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

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