Latest news with #maerl
BBC News
3 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Societe Jersiaise study sheds light on Jersey's maerl habitats
A new report will raise awareness of Jersey's "unique and relatively unseen" maerl habitats, a study group has Jersiaise said maerl was a type of slow-growing, calcified red seaweed that forms complex seabed structures, providing vital habitat for a wide range of marine life. It said the project, supported by a grant from the Jersey Community Foundation with funds from the Channel Islands lottery, would "shed light" on the marine J Bailhache, the society's CEO, said members were "delighted" to help support projects which were considered of benefit to the island. The project is managed by the society in partnership with the Government of Jersey's environment Jersiaise said the final publication was designed to raise awareness and appreciation of the "extraordinary habitat". "By identifying key knowledge gaps, it will help guide future research, monitoring, and conservation efforts," it said."The project highlights the value of collaboration between scientific, governmental and community organisations in advancing marine conservation and ensuring Jersey's natural heritage is better understood and protected."
Times
14-05-2025
- Science
- Times
‘Irreplaceable' Cornish coral beds could be killed by sewage
Irreplaceable 4,000-year-old coral beds off the Cornish coast could be killed after being smothered in algae caused by sewage pollution and run-off from farms. Marine scientists and conservationists were left shocked by the state of the ancient beds of rare pink calcified seaweeds, known as maerl, which are crucial to supporting fragile underwater ecosystems and act as a nursery for commercial fish and shellfish. The rose pink of a maerl bed is a very rare sight in English waters, with few thought to exist outside Cornwall, where it particularly thrives in clear waters, estuaries and tide-swept bays. The maerl beds of the Fal and Helford estuaries in Cornwall were designated as a Marine Protected Area in 2005 but a recent dive revealed a 'worrying deterioration'
