Grass is bluer on the other side

ONE OF THE LARGEST KNOWN UK, BLUE CARBON HABITATS DISCOVERED IN CORNWALL

A report published this April, by Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Natural England has revealed that St Austell Bay supports the largest known subtidal seagrass bed in Cornwall - which is also one of the largest known seagrass beds in the UK

Covering 359.1 hectares (887 acres), the St Austell Bay findings are the result of acoustic surveys carried out in partnership with the Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA). They are part of the St Austell Bay 'Blue Carbon Mapping Project', intrinsic to the ambitious G7 Legacy Project for Nature Recovery announced by the Prime Minister at the G7 Summit held in Cornwall in 2021.

Boats using echosounder techniques and acoustic mapping, identified these 'blue carbon' habitats (areas of the sea that act as highly effective carbon stores) and then volunteer dive surveyors from Cornwall Wildlife Trust's Seasearch program monitored the sites more closely. Surveys focused on the historically under-recorded habitats of seagrass, which can flower and photosynthesise just like meadows in shallow seas. The team found an incredible total of 122 different species of plants and animals within these seagrass and maerl beds (delicate pink, coral-like algae) proving the sites to have real biodiversity importance.

Several rare and significant species were discovered including the short-snouted seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus (a Biodiversity Action Plan species), and the commercially important scallop species Pecten maximus. Divers also saw broadnosed pipefish and little cuttlefish.

The Cornwall Wildlife Trust described the discovery as "hugely positive" but said more work was needed to protect the bed and further surveys should be carried out to find out if there were others in nearby areas.

You can read the full report HERE.

NB: At the time of writing scientists have just discovered a pristine deep-sea Galapagos reef 'teeming with life'.

Diving to 600m, they found reefs full of octopus, lobster & fish raising hopes for corals' survival amid rising sea temperatures.

Photos above: Matt Slater and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust