Sammy's Natural World: Ocean World

A winter evening in Plymouth, which dubs itself
Britain's "Ocean City". Drake's Island and
Cornwall are in the background.

Ocean City

Cormorant found near the Hoe

During term time in Plymouth, one of the best things to do between lectures or after a long day was to head to the waterfront. Between the Barbican and the Hoe, there is the old ampitheatre and the Lido, providing plenty of opportunities to sit, dip your toes in the water (if you dare) and relax, just chatting and watching the waves, listening to the oystercatchers and the seagulls, and sometimes, if you're lucky, spotting seals. It was always such a relaxing thing to do with my friends, and one of the many little things I miss about being in Plymouth. On rough sea days, we'd play "chicken" on the steps between the lido and the ampitheatre, hanging our legs (without shoes! We wanted to do it properly!) over the water and seeing who would screech and pull their legs away first when the freezing cold water would hit us. Then we'd go to the 5pm lecture completely sodden and smelling of seaweed! The views are stunning. In one direction, you have Mount Batten and the cliffs that lead to beautiful South Devon if you carry on the South West Coast Path. In another, you have Drake's Island and Cornwall.

Lesser spotted dogfish, aka the
small-spotted catshark, in the National
Marine Aquarium

Plymouth's history is largely maritime. Francis Drake lived and spotted the Armada from here (hence why so many streets and shops in the city are called "Armada something" and my first year halls of residence were named after the bloke himself). Charles Darwin set off from the harbour on his mission. The Mayflower set sail from the Barbican with the Pilgrim brothers for America in the 17th century (although the *real* Mayflower steps are actually in the lady's toilets of a pub on the Barbican!). The largest naval base in Western Europe is based in Devonport, one of the districts of Plymouth, and it's not unusual to be having breakfast in a cafe on the Hoe with your friends and just watching a submarine or a bloody huge battleship gliding through the water past your window. Understandably and rather fittingly, Plymouth brands itself as the Ocean City.

Female sand tiger shark <3 Sharks are absolutely
beautiful. Long may they live

On the Barbican, there is also the world famous National Marine Aquarium. It's a beautiful place, and there are several species there to brighten up a dull afternoon. A beautiful corridor full of jellyfish showcasing their life cycle (from polyp to adult medusa) in different tanks, the Eddystone tank (displaying small sharks such as dogfish and smoothhounds as well as an assortment of eels, cod and rays) and the Atlantic tank, with its collection of awesome predatory fish, are some of the highlights. My favourites are the sand tiger and the nurse sharks- you could watch them for absolutely ages. I have a huge soft spot for sharks, and every time I feel my eyes following their movement around the tank, I wish that I could dive with them.

Oystercatcher on Mount Batten

From the Barbican, you can also catch an adorable little yellow ferry which takes you across to the peninsula of Mount Batten. Despite the fact that you can see the city centre from the beach and promenade, it's surprisingly tranquil here. There are some incredible rockpools on the beach, so good that one of our field trips was actually based there (and one of the most memorable parts, along with being frozen, playing with the hermit crabs and posing for pictures with a cushion starfish, was the decaying young porpoise about halfway up the beach!!!).

Britain's Seas

Grey seal in Coverack, Cornwall,
June 2015

Here in Britain, we're lucky enough to say that we're never more than seventy miles from the sea. A lot of people don't realise the extraordinary biodiversity that we have lurking under those waves.

20 species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises)- including minke, fin (the world's second largest animal), orca, long-finned pilot and humpback whales, common, bottlenose and Risso's dolphins and the harbour porpoise
30 species of shark and ray- including blue, mako, thresher, basking (the world's second largest fish), tope and dogfish.
Half of the world's population of grey seals, and a sizable number of the harbour seal
Curious species such as ocean sunfish (the world's largest bony fish), seahorses and even leatherback sea turtles
90% of manx sheerwaters and 60% of great skuas, as well as several other species of seabird such as puffins

Unfortunately, our sea life is majorly threatened

Juvenile ocean sunfish in Penzance, June 2015

Unfortunately, just like the majority of British wildlife, our marine life is threatened, too. Marine pollution, relentless overfishing, litter, material extraction and so many other factors are pushing our sea life to breaking point. Climate change is thought to be the reason behind new species normally found further south venturing into our seas on a more and more frequent basis, as well as our own species heading northwards to cooler waters. The reason we're seeing so many jellyfish in the waters is because we have created the perfect ocean for them. Globally, over 90% of the larger predatory fish have been removed. The waters are becoming nutrient rich due to pollution, giving the jellies more plankton to feed on. The seas are warming. The seas are perfect for jellyfish, but it's a sure sign that our seas are in trouble.

SHARKS ARE NOT MAN EATERS!

Repeat after me: sharks are not man eaters!

It's true. Sharks are not man eaters. A lot of these "attacks" that you see on the news are a case of mistaken identity. From their perspective, from under the waves, a person on a surfboard looks a lot like a seal. Besides, a lot of these "attacks" are really just the shark trying to identify what, exactly, they are looking at. They don't have hands like we do. Their way of testing something is to use their teeth to feel the object, before letting go. Last year, 3 people were killed by sharks. Every year, we kill in excess of 100 million sharks.

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?

There are a few things you can do to help.

- If you're a fish eater, make sure you're eating accredited sustainable fish. The Marine Conservation Society has an amazing list of sustainable fish here. http://www.mcsuk.org/downloads/fisheries/fishweek/FishWeek_FishList_Jan2011.pdf

- Where possible, avoid using plastic bags.

- Don't use pesticides or herbicides. Again, they're dangerous to a lot of wildlife, but this is especially important for marine life if you live near a water source as the rain will cause run-off!

- Take part in beach clean ups, or do one yourself (remember to wear good gloves to protect yourself from sharp objects and germs)

- NEVER pick a pet fish that has come from the wild! If you're not sure, ask the supplier. Never buy unless you're completely certain. The pet trade has been devastating for some marine ecosystems, especially where tropical fish are concerned. Also, NEVER release your pet fish into the wild, as it could have a negative impact on the local, wild ecosystem.