Sea Champions Volunteer Guide launched!

Keep up to date with the work of MCS and how you can help

To welcome in the new year we've launched the online Sea Champions Volunteer Guide. The guide will give you a background to the work of MCS, how you can help as a Sea Champion, and will link you through to a selection of downloadable resources to support you. Look out for the "action boxes" throughout the guide to keep up to date with current ways you can help protect our seas, shores and wildlife!

Note: Please view the Sea Champions Volunteer Guide in Internet Explorer.

Click on the image below to flick through the online Sea Champions Volunteer Guide and take action to help save our seas...

 

Turtle tracking in the Turks & Caicos!

6 green turtles released into the wild and new satellite tag fitted!

It was a busy end to 2012 for our Turks and Caicos Islands Turtle Project where MCS’ Amdeep Sanghera organised the release of 6 green turtles into the wild at Coral Gardens, Provo. Nesting green turtles are very rare in this part of the Caribbean but these hatchlings were found stranded in a couple of emerged nests in November 2010. They were then raised in captivity until ready for release. The turtles were in great health and now there are 6 more rare TCI born and bred green turtles back in the wild!

Also, Sir Patrick, the latest sub-adult green turtle to be fitted with a satellite tag by the project project, was released back on the Caicos Banks. Sir Patrick’s tag was generously sponsored by local eco-tour company Big Blue Ltd., who named the turtle in honour of the late great astronomer Sir Patrick Moore. Since release, Sir Patrick’s tag has frequently been in communication with satellites orbiting in space to tell us that he is remaining close to the famous Ocean Hole where he was caught and released. To follow the journeys of our satellite tagged turtles, go to http://bit.ly/nxfbva

6 green turtles released to the wild in TCI and Sir Patrick ready to go with his newly fitted satellite tag!

Sea Champion Emma Theobold has been collecting data on nesting green and loggerhead turtles alongside scientists and student volunteers from the Marine Turtle Research Group in Cyprus.

It's estimated that as few as 300-400 green and 2,000 loggerhead females nest annually in the area, but both species are considered regionally endangered.

Here's what Emma got up to...



Protecting the nests from predators and preventing the unwary from accidentally stepping on the nests.

Volunteers monitor the beach throughout June and July for 10 hours a night, observing nesting females, recording their behaviour, measuring and tagging individuals and protecting nests. Here's an adult green turtle digging a body pit before laying her clutch. No white lights are allowed on the beach after nightfall because they may disturb nesting adults and prevent them from laying, but red light is less intrusive so is used by volunteers.

During August and September nests are monitored all night as part of a study into hatchling emergence patterns. Here's a loggerhead hatchling! Once hatchlings emerge from the nest they head towards the brightest light source - usually the moon reflected on the water. However, lights from a nearby power station often cause hatchlings to go off course, so volunteers stand in the sea wearing a head torches to guide them in the right direction.

Sadly this juvenile green turtle had to be put down by a vet, as her carapace had been smashed and she had swallowed multiple fishing hooks. The main risks to adult turtles in the area are speedboats, fishing nets, and marine litter.

 Beach cleans are carried out weekly by volunteers to reduce the impacts of marine litter to turtles and other wildlife.

All egg fragments are counted to determine the success of the nest, and are then reburied to return the nutrients to the sand.

Click here for more information on MCS's turtle projects, or why not adopt a turtle?



Cycle 100 miles for our seas!

Want to shed those extra Christmas pounds? Want to get back in shape in the New Year? Then get fit for RideLondon 100!

20,000 amateur cyclists have the chance to cycle a modified version of the London 2012 Olympic Road Race route as they take part in the RideLondon 100 mile sportive. MCS is excited to announce that we have one place in the brand new cycling event!

The ride London 100 is the perfect challenge ride for club and recreational cyclists. Slower cyclists can enjoy a more relaxed ride with friends, while faster riders will relish the opportunity to pit themselves against the country's top amateurs.

 Apply for your place today!

We also have four places to allocate for the Brighton Marathon and we would love for you to join our Marathon team!   Find out more and apply today via our Brighton Marathon webpage.

MCS Fundraisers Chris Wakefield and Paul Millard!

Christmas shoppers beware!

Microplastics in our beauty products = microplastics in our sea

It seems unbelievable, but it's true: many personal care products like scrubs and peels now contain plastic particles. So, every time we exfoliate or peel off those dead cells, we may be doing our bodies some good, but we're giving our seas anything but a make-over. As the products are rinsed off, they go down the drain and that means we are flushing plastic into our seas where it contributes to the 'plastic soup' problem.

When you’re out Christmas shopping or hitting the January sales, check the list of ingredients on the label. Plastics can appear as: Polyethylene / Polythene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Message from Dr. Sue Kinsey, MCS Pollution Policy Officer: "It's incredible how many everyday products contain micro plastic beads. These find their way through our sewers and into our seas where they are easily eaten by all sorts of marine animals. Help us stop the practice of putting these microplastics in products by signing the petition and checking out products at home."

Sea Champions across the UK are going through their bathroom cabinets and letting us know which products contain microplastics so we can urge companies to “beat the microbead” and use environmentally friendly alternatives. Anise seeds, sand, salt or coconut were all used before plastic particles. If you'd like to take part too you can email your findings to Dr. Kinsey.

MCS and the North Sea Foundation want to get an EU ban on micro plastics in consumer products. Help by signing and sharing the petition:

 "Scrub Plastic Free!” www.noordzee.nl/microplastics-petitie/petitie

You can also download additional information on the issues associated with microplastics.

 With your help we can beat the microbead!

 

Simply by washing your face you could be adding the the "plastic soup" problem in our seas.

 

Lancashire MCS Local Group create marine display

Inspiring the general public about our amazing marine life is a difficult task when people can’t get beneath the waves to see the beauty of these precious ecosystems. The Lancashire MCS Local Group however are doing just that. Images and sea-life survey information from their Seasearch dives around Calve Island, Tobermory Bay have been made into a display at the Mull Visitor Centre! The group hopes this will encourage people to take more interest in the wildlife around our coasts. Click on the links to find out more about Seasearch, and the Lancashire MCS Local Group.  

Marine display at the Mull Visitor Centre created by the Lancashire MCS Local Group.

Sea Champions get into the Christmas Spirit!

Sea Champions Bryn Edwards, Katie Macer-Wright and Anelma Roberts got into the Christmas spirit at the weekend at the Christmas Fair in Ross-on-Wye, whilst Scottish Sea Champions braved the cold at the Christmas Fair in Edinburgh.

Sea Champions and MCS staff were delighted to meet so many friends of MCS, particularly the Christmas turkey who took part in Litter-Pick-Panic, the angel and Christmas presents that pledged for 127 Marine Conservation Zones, and the snowman and Christmas pudding who expressed real interest in joining MCS.

Sea Champions are planning to attend many more Christmas fairs throughout December, get in touch with your Volunteer Coordinator if you'd like to help out or attend a fair near you.

Turkeys, angels and Christmas puddings support MCS at the Christmas Fair in Ross-on-Wye!

500 fish to help restore EU fish stocks for future generations

Welsh Sea Champions Andrea Wijnaendts, Lauren Hughes and Cassie Bye are getting 500 people involved in the Paint-a-Fish campaign!

They have just set out on their mission to reach their target of 500 fish, and so far have already got 52 fish painted at Bangor University. As marine biology students and recent graduates, the team of three are giving talks, presenting the campaign at the end of lectures and have a stand at the university library. They are hoping soon to get schools in the area involved too.

The fish from the Paint-a-Fish campaign will be uploaded onto a website to build a “virtual fish stock” that will call on EU leaders to protect fish stocks and end overfishing.

Click here to find out more about the campaign and get in touch with your coordinator for support if you would like to promote the campaign.