National Marine Week launches this month

The Wildlife Trusts' National Marine Week gets underway on 27 July, with a fortnight of activities designed to showcase the wildlife in and around our seas planned. 

The programme of events includes rockpool rambles, dolphin and whale watching and seashore safaris. As well as this, The Wildlife Trusts will be launching a new version of its popular citizen science project Shoresearch, and are calling on volunteers to help monitor marine life on UK shores.

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Ocean Sunfish, one of the heaviest bony fishes in the world, can be found in British waters (Pete Mills).

The Wildlife Trusts has also published a range of guides to identifying seaside wildlife, along with marine activity sheets to help all ages enjoy the beach and rock pools. There are guides to marine megafauna, rockpool wildlife and adventure, seabirds, jellyfish and reduce your plastic use.

Joan Edwards, Director of Living Seas at The Wildlife Trusts, said: "The seas around the UK deserve their own celebration. Every summer, millions of people are drawn to the coast and are delighted by the wildlife they can see there. The Wildlife Trusts have some fantastic events and activities lined up, with details online too."

In the UK, we are never more than 70 miles from the coast. The Wildlife Trusts' campaign for better protection for wildlife and its home around the UK, recently welcoming the news that the Government is designating a third phase of new Marine Conservation Zones, bringing the total to 91. The data collected through Shoresearch will help monitor sea life and better understand the effects of pollution, climate change and invasive alien species.