News
MCS welcomes Marine Protection Review
The UK’s leading marine conservation charity has welcomed the Environment Secretary’s decision to launch an independent review to consider whether Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) would add further protections to the seas around England and Northern Ireland.
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has long called for HPMAs to be designated to offer additional protections for the marine environment.
Dr Peter Richardson, Head of Ocean Recovery for MCS said: “We welcome this announcement from the Secretary of State, and this level of commitment is long overdue. There have been other reviews of the potential for HPMAs so this one must result in action. Highly protected sites are known to be the most effective tool for marine wildlife recovery, and new sites in our waters would provide significant benefits for our threatened marine species and habitats.
In the first instance, we should prioritise implementing large offshore HPMAs in UK’s waters. These would protect critical habitat for commercial fish stocks, and endangered species such as common skate, halibut and angelshark. These sites are used by fewer stakeholder groups than inshore waters, so the benefits vastly outweigh the impacts.
Inshore HPMA sites should be community-led and need extensive discussion with those that use them – for instance Lamlash Bay, on Arran, took 13 years of discussion before it was implemented – and consequently is a highly effective and successful HPMA, with recovering biodiversity and local ownership and support.”
MCS welcomes the opportunity to input to the new review and the appointment of Richard Benyon MP, who has been a champion for marine protection, including HPMAs in our Overseas Territories, for many years.
Last week, Defra announced 41 new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in English and Northern Irish waters.
Dr Jean-Luc Solandt, Principle Specialist in MPAs at MCS, added: “All existing offshore MPAs should be considered for designation as HPMAs, where all activities like dredging, bottom-towed trawling and marine industry are kept out and species of commercially important fish, and the habitats they depend on, can properly recover and flourish.
Highly Protected Marine Areas are an important element of a protection network as they allow the rewilding of our seabed. HPMAs are good for carbon sequestration through the recovery of shellfish beds and other habitats, helping us mitigate against the threat of climate catastrophe.”
For more information about the Marine Conservation Society visit their website by clicking here.
Gear News
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Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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