Wales has kilometres upon kilometres of unsheltered coastline. Enclosed on three sides by the chilly Atlantic, the unofficial peninsula faces its fair share of battering by storms and strong currents. But while the ocean might be annoyingly temperamental to the average holiday-maker, it serves as a perfect home for plant life that can tough out the waves, currents and changing tides. It may even be serving them a significant benefit Just as cold air sinks and hot air rises, w

As producers, seaweeds photosynthesize, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and growing plant matter that feeds marine life. Wild seaweed is also one of the most productive producers on the planet, growing quickly to cover large areas of ocean. By examining sea beds from all over the world, scientists have discovered that seaweeds have another potential function. By absorbing carbon dioxide and storing it in their “leaves” – also called “blades” – they can contribute

Over the years, marine infrastructure has become more present in U.K. waters. Aquaculture operations have increased as we pursue a sustainable, blue economy, and researchers have been hard at work trying to understand how the cages, anchors and chains affect the ecosystems in which they are placed.  Fig. 1. Reference diagram for the block and chain mooring of the seaweed farm's infrastructure. In a seaweed farm, crop kelp is often grown from ropes suspended at the sea surface

Dolphins and porpoises are some of the most famous, and adored, marine creatures in the world. Besides being incredibly charismatic, they have an unparalleled ability to connect humans with the ocean. They fuel coastal tourism, get people of all ages out on the water, and are powerful ambassadors for conservation – reminding people that marine life can be social, intelligent and complex.  We are lucky enough to have many populations of dolphins and porpoises (also referred to

The U.K.’s coastal waters are teeming with life, from the tiniest crustaceans to large mammals like seals, and everything in between. Seaweed farms share these waters, playing neighbour to some of the country's most recognizable and commercial species: sardines, cod, haddock, flounder, the list goes on. It is well known that natural seaweed forests support these creatures, providing food and shelter, but does this relationship hold true with farmed seaweed? How does growing s

If you’ve stared into a tide-pool or dipped your head beneath the surface just off the coast of the U.K., you may be familiar with the swaying masses of green, red and brown that characterise the shallows. Shallow-reef, or “rocky shore,” habitats are the most accessible parts of our oceans, and play host to a huge range of species, both plant and animal. Seaweeds of all colours, limpets, crabs, gobies, blennies – these creatures are some of the first ocean residents we get to

Seaweed grows between 1 to 4 meters below the sea surface on ropes. Ropes link buoys to form a seaweed farm structure that is anchored to...