Press Release

Press Release Archive: Friday 11 March 2011

Shoresearch survey reveals living seas

Last week, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust staff and volunteers gathered on the beach at Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve to learn about a programme of surveys called Shoresearch.

With the help of neighbouring Yorkshire Wildlife Trust staff, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is keen to use Shoresearch surveys to discover more about the marine wildlife that lives off our coast. Shoresearch is a seashore recording and surveying project, in which volunteers identify and record what they find on the shore. It helps to identify the wildlife that exists along the coastline - an excellent way to understand and help protect our local shores. Rachel Kirby, Head of the Wash Study Centre at Gibraltar Point said: "Shoresearch is perfect for anyone who likes beachcombing and exploring the strandline to see what has washed up. Often we’ll see evidence of what lives out to see rather than the animals themselves such as empty shells, crabs claws and mermaid’s purses (the egg cases of skates and rays)." Almost thirty different species were found and identified during the training event including: the small, spherical sea gooseberry which has an almost transparent, shimmering appearance evidence of three species of crab: edible, shore and spider (from claws and shells on the strandline) three species of hydroid and hornwrack (a bryozoan) all of which look superficially like plants or seaweed but are actually colonies of tiny animals slipper limpets which are native to the eastern coast of North America and were introduced to Essex in 1887-90, with imported oysters.  Slipper limpets compete with and can displace other sea animals such as mussels and oysters. They are a recent arrival to Lincolnshire and have not yet spread as far as Yorkshire. Shoresearch surveys will help monitor their distribution. "This simple survey illustrates the diversity of wildlife that lives off the coast, even though most of the time it is out of sight" continued Rachel. "We now plan to develop Shoresearch surveys for use by school groups visiting Gibraltar Point and at public events." For anyone interested in trying to identify seashore life, a range of identification guides are available from the gift shop in the Gibraltar Point visitor centre. Photo: Slipper limpets live stacked on top of one another (photo by Kirsten Smith)

Notes to Editors

Species found on the beach at Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve on 4 March 2011

Sea beard - Nemertesia antennina – a hydroid
Sertularia species – a hydroid
Abietinaria abietina – a hydroid
Shore crab – Carcinus maenas (claws only)
Edible crab – Cancer pagurus (leg only)
Spider crab – (carapace only)
Barnacle species (on shells etc.)
Brown Shrimp – Crangon crangon
Isopod crustaceans
Amphipod crustaceans
Common cockle - Cerastoderma edule
Common whelk - Buccinum undatum
Common whelk egg case
Variegated scallop - Chlamys varia
Cowrie – Trivia species
Slipper limpet - Crepidula fornicata
Razor shell – Ensis arcuatus
A whelk - Colus gracilis
White piddock - Barnea candida
Common mussel – Mytilus edulis
Hornwrack - Flustra foliacea
Brittlestar species
Bladder wrack - Fucus vesiculosus
Plaice - Pleuronectes platessa (juveniles ~25mm)
Sand goby - Pomatoschistus minutus
Ray species (egg cases)
Sea gooseberry - Pleurobrachia pileus
An unidentified branching sponge

1. Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve is one of Lincolnshire’s wildest landscapes.  The reserve covers 1100 acres of pristine coastline and is recognised as an area of international importance. It extends about three miles along the Lincolnshire coast from the southern end of Skegness to the entrance of the Wash and includes sandy and muddy seashore, sand dunes, saltmarsh and freshwater marsh with ponds and lagoons. The Reserve is managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust under a lease from its owners the Lincolnshire County Council and East Lindsey District Council.
   
   
2. The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and wild places throughout the historic county of Lincolnshire - from the Humber to the Wash.  The Trust is Lincolnshire's leading nature conservation charity with over 25,000 members and around 100 nature reserves.  The Trust is a member of a nationwide network of 47 local trusts which work to protect wildlife - The Wildlife Trusts.
   Visit: www.lincstrust.org.uk 
   
   
3. The Wildlife Trusts.  There are 47 Wildlife Trusts across the whole of the UK, the Isle of Man and Alderney. We are working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone.  With more than 800,000 members, we are the largest UK voluntary organisation dedicated to conserving the full range of the UK’s habitats and species, whether they be in the countryside, in cities or at sea. 150,000 of our members belong to our junior branch, Wildlife Watch.  We manage around 2,300 nature reserves covering more than 90,000 hectares; we stand up for wildlife; we inspire people about the natural world and we foster sustainable living.
   Visit: http://www.wildlifetrusts.org
   

For further information please contact

Rachel Shaw, Public Relations Officer
Tel: 01507 526667   (ansaphone out of office hours)
Fax: 01507 525732
Email: Rachel Shaw

Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
Banovallum House
Manor House Street
Horncastle
Lincolnshire LN9 5HF

Website: www.lincstrust.org.uk