These are some of the species we look at on our research projects.

It may be down to global warming or something completely different but all around the world, species are on the move. There are other reasons why exotic species are turning up in colder locations or areas where they have never been seen before. Sometimes organisms can be transported in ballast tanks for ships and some, such as Lion Fish may be being released into the sea by people who no longer want them in their aquariums. There is no doubt though that the temperature change of the water must play a big part.

Already scientists are telling us that the plankton we normally find around the Cornish coast is moving north as our water becomes to warm for it. This has a knock on effect that animals such as the Basking Sharks may follow the plankton north and one day no longer be seen around our coast. If this does happen then plankton species from the south will migrate into our waters and so they will be followed by other warm water species.

Species such as the Triggerfish are already seen here during the summer but cant usually survive the cold winters if the water temperature drops below 10 degrees C. The day may come when the Triggerfish may be able to survive our winters and become a permanent resident.

This picture of a Grey Triggerfish was taken by a student on a visit to Newquay aquarium. This summer we saw a grey Triggerfish on one of our dives here at battery Rocks in the bay. Several others have been reported washed up dead. They may be visitors to our waters but they seem to becoming more common in our waters.

We are building up the information on the marine life around our coast. One way to monitor changes is to compare todays data with the baseline information from the past. The main problem is there is very little baseline information available. No one has kept records but you may have sightings of species in your log book from ten or twenty years ago. If you seen something unusual while diving or snorkelling why not let us know and it can be added to our data list. If you have a photo it may help with identification.

The government is taking a long time with its introduction of the promised marine bill. While we wait local species are still being wiped out. It may be interesting to note that some species that used to be common are now considered endangered. See the list below for local species on the red list.

Critically Endangered

Common Skate, Angel Shark, Sturgeon, Leatherback Turtle, Balearic Shearwater

Endangered

Atlantic Halibut, White Skate, Sei Whale, Fin Whale

North Atlantic Right Whale, Blue Whale, Loggerhead Turtle

Vulnerable

Harbour Porpoise, Basking Shark, Sperm Whale,

Atlantic Cod, Tope, Deepwater Spiny DogFish, Spurdog

Porbeagle, Haddock, Humpback Whale

Recording sea hares around the coast.can help give us more information on seasonal changes. Looking at breeding sites and breeding activity,  Sea hares appear in their hundreds in shallow coastal areas to mate and lay their eggs.  This project will not only help us to understand more about their mating season and lifestyle but in the past couple of years they have had a double breeding season. Normally they would breed only in the spring but milder winters have brought about an early spring which gives time for a second egg laying in the warmer autumn.

Surveying eelgrass beds on the south coast of Cornwall, with the aim to help protect these valuable habitats, is really important. Eelgrass is a protected species in other parts of Europe but not in the UK. It is our only true underwater flowering plant which provides a very important nursery ground to many marine animals.  There are many areas around our coast where eelgrass beds exist but are not recorded and many that are recorded have vastly outgrown their previous boundaries.  By surveying these areas we can update past records to give a more true picture of the beds today!

Underwater surveys of rays and dogfish (catsharks) and beach surveys for eggcases give us an idea of the declining distribution around Cornwall. Recording underwater elasmobranch and egg sightings is very important as it provides vital information on the exact location of these animals and their breeding grounds. During 2008 we saw one Ray during all our dives. In the past they were a common site on local dives but over fishing of an unprotected species has all but wiped them out. The larger Skates used to be a regular site on the sandy beds in Falmouth Bay. In many cases where this has happened, the fisheries have collapsed and when the fishermen move on to another species, it has allowed the Ray species to make a small recovery.