News
Diving with a purpose – BSAC’s Operation Oyster 2022 report just released
Native oyster shells 35 metres underwater and the discovery of rare spiny seahorse are just some of the unexpected finds highlighted in the newly released Operation Oyster 2022 report.
Launched back in 2021, Operation Oyster is BSAC’s key citizen science project created to enable divers to play a key role in oyster bed restoration around our coastline.
The project’s ‘mission’ is to search for and document evidence of the UK’s native oyster population, which has seen a 95% drop in population numbers over the past 150 years due to overfishing, disease, pollution and habitat loss.
With its first full year now completed, the 2022 Operation Oyster report has highlighted the progress that has been made in establishing the extent of the native oyster’s decline.
The BSAC project is currently working with the BLUE Marine Foundation, Scottish marine charity Seawilding, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the University of Portsmouth. Data collected via the project is also being made accessible to the scientific community.
Operation Oyster coordinator, Andy Hunt, said the 2022 report has also shown the work that still needs to be done:
“We have dived the breadth of the UK in 2022 and found evidence of native flat oysters where we weren’t expecting them. However, the project has not yet found any live native oyster reefs or substantial beds,” Andy explained.
“There is hope though. Live native oysters are holding on in places, but just not in the quantity they used to be. A key finding of 2022’s activities was a carbon store of old native flat oyster shells that that may help show us what the seabed used to look like and what we should be aiming to restore.”
Key milestones for Operation Oyster in 2022 include:
- Project dives on three scientific sites in the Solent, which revealed individual native oysters on a range of habitats, including wrecks and reefs
- A series of Operation Oyster expeditions in the Sound of Mull and Cape Wrath which included a total dive time of 157.7 hours over 191 dives
- The discovery of a substantial dead native oyster reef functioning as a carbon store in Loch Craignish
- Identified several other potential historic native oyster sites
- Created citizen science opportunities for divers and BSAC clubs, including training progression and experience dives
- Recorded evidence of live native oysters around the UK, including the Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Teignmouth, Donegal and the Sound of Mull.
Buoyed by the success of 2022, Andy said he and the Operation Oyster team were looking forward to consolidating on the project’s progress. More expeditions are now planned,
including a return to the Loch Craignish and Jura area in the spring to gain a greater appreciation of what its historic native oyster beds would have looked like 150 years ago.
Andy said that while the project had yet to find a live native oyster reef in the UK, he was looking forward to what 2023 could bring.
“Operation Oyster is a long-term project and while a constant focus will be on going diving and getting data, it is ultimately about helping to restore the cold-water equivalent of coral reefs around our coastline,” said Andy.
“And with Operation Oyster, this is also a fantastic chance for all divers to get involved and add an important environmental purpose to their diving.”
To download the Operation Oyster Report 2022, and to find out how you can get involved in the project’s 2023 activities go to bsac.com/operationoyster
Header Image: The Operation Oyster team, post-dive, off the Isle of Wight. Credit: Operation Oyster.
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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