Author: sophie

By Ella Garrud Wild Coast Sussex Project Manager Wild Coast Sussex is a community engagement and education project which aims to inspire Sussex communities to care for the marine environment and enable them to protect their local coast and ocean. The project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to money raised by the… Continue reading Wild Coast Sussex – what we have achieved

By Sophie Atkinson, Wild Coast Sussex Project Officer During a citizen science training event on Rottingdean Beach, Wild Coast Sussex Project Officer Sophie Atkinson discovered a rare find for Sussex beaches, a Nursehound eggcase. Nursehounds are the largest catshark species found in the UK, reaching up to 160cm, and their eggcases are significantly larger than those… Continue reading Nursehound Eggcase – An Exciting Find

By Sophie Atkinson, Wild Coast Sussex Project Officer The Wild Coast Sussex project had its last full year of delivery in 2023, and boy did we go out with a bang! We kicked off the year with our ‘Dip a Toe’ campaign held on the 16th January, also known as Blue Monday, where we encouraged Sussex… Continue reading Wild Coast Sussex – 2023 Review

Sophie Maplesden Wild Coast Sussex Assistant Project Officer Last month we celebrated the success that the Wild Coast Sussex project has seen so far, with a Wild Coast Sussex celebration party! This was an event held at SEA LIFE Brighton to recognise the achievements of the project in the past three years and the people… Continue reading Wild Coast Celebration

By Ruby Storthard Wild Coast Sussex Volunteer Litter on our beaches poses a huge threat to our local marine wildlife. To help tackle this, Wild Coast Sussex have offered a fun, hands-on way for young people to engage with protecting our seas through a series of silent disco beach cleans! I got involved with this… Continue reading Silent Disco Beach Cleans!

By Alicja Szalanska Volunteer, Wild Coast Sussex The 29th October marks International Sea Slug Day, a celebration of these captivating yet often overlooked oceanic wonders. It’s also a day to acknowledge the lifelong dedication of marine biologist Terry Gosliner, who has tirelessly studied and conserved these remarkable creatures. In this post, let’s dive into the world… Continue reading Sea slugs – celebrating hidden gems in the ocean

By Sophie Atkinson Wild Coast Sussex Project Officer Last week’s episode of Planet Earth III shed light on one of the biggest threats to marine life globally – ghost gear. Ghost gear is the term used to describe abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear, and is so named as it continues to capture and trap marine animals… Continue reading Ghost Gear – What are we doing about it?

By Alicja Szalanska Wild Coast Sussex Volunteer The oceans, with their mesmerising depths and diverse marine life, are vital to our planet’s health. Yet, they face growing threats like pollution, climate change, and habitat loss. Fortunately, you can make a meaningful difference by taking small steps. In this blog post, we’ll explore five easy actions… Continue reading Four simple ways to support ocean conservation

By Helen Stewart Wild Coast Sussex Volunteer Having recently retired, I have volunteered with Wild Coast Sussex to help identify mermaid’s purses on local beaches as part of the Shark Trust’s Great Eggcase Hunt. On a very wet and windy day in September, I and other volunteers were instructed on the basics of mermaid purse identification by members… Continue reading Mermaid’s Purse Hunting in Hove

By Sophie Maplesden Wild Coast Sussex Assistant Project Officer I recently had the pleasure of helping to organise the Wild Coast Weekend. This was a free, two day event run by the Wild Coast Sussex Project, aimed at 18-25 year olds interested in conservation, our local coast or those purely wanting to boost their nature… Continue reading Wild Coast Weekend!