Current Initiatives

Atlantic Grey Seal census

As the southern most range of the Atlantic Grey seal the Channel Islands is home to several small individual colonies spread out around the islands. These seal colonies are usually located around remote rocky outcrops rather than the beaches they might normally be found on elsewhere in the UK & so they enjoy a relatively human free existence. Knowing how many seals we have, and understanding their health on both an individual & a colony basis helps us to not only ensure that these mammals are protected from our waste & ingression but also to monitor changing oceanic conditions & fish stocks in the surrounding waters.

Utilising non invasive identification techniques we are building a database of the populations of each existing colony & are using this data to track, cross reference & confirm sightings from the general public, allowing us to monitor the movement & range of these animals within our waters. This can help us to determine if any colonies are at risk from either private or state funded projects that affect the marine environment on a local scale.

Species removal data collection

Using a variety of source data we are compiling the largest known database of species removal in the Channel Islands. Knowing what species are being taken from the ocean around us is imperative to our knowledge of not only the types of species being found in our waters but also the rate at which they are being harvested. Working - as much as possible - with local fisherman, supermarkets & charter operations we can obviously never hope to record every single fish that is removed from the ocean, however being able to record even a small percentage of those removals can help us to understand - at least on a partial level - trends in spawning, seasonal fluctuations in available species & areas of the islands waters that are seeing either plentiful or minimal stocks.

Wet cleans

Guernsey already has a fantastic community of beach cleaners who patrol the beach in any weather, removing a huge amount of washed up litter on a daily basis. However the beaches only allow the collection of materials that have been washed or blown ashore and only at stages of the tide where the sands and rocks are accessible. Given the shear amount of waste collected by these dedicated cleaners it is obvious that just offshore in the shallows - and beyond - there lies an unimaginable amount of rubbish with no one able to get to it. Whenever possible The Ghost Seas Project gathers together a small number of snorkelers and competent free divers to carry out underwater beach cleans below the low water mark.

If you want to join us on one of these cleans please feel free to sign up here for notifications of the time and location of our next clean.

You can also join the Guernsey beach cleaners Facebook group here.

Marine Mammal Protection patrols

Ask most people & they will probably tell you that dolphins are their favourite marine mammal, a seemingly spiritual connection between our two species that can be traced back to pre biblical times. As a result of this affinity for dolphins whenever a pod arrives in island waters it is usually very quickly followed by eager boat & watercraft owners trying their hardest to get an up close & personal experience. Whilst this may be fun for us humans the constant noise, churning water & chasing craft can cause stress amongst pods & cause them to break up or disrupt their normal habits, which is especially dangerous to pregnant females or at mating times. We have seen plenty of cases in the last few years alone of nothing short of idiotic behaviour by certain boat owners & as a result we endeavour wherever possible to provide a presence on the water during times when dolphins are near by, in order to run interference or collect evidence of bad behaviour. All in an effort to make these interactions a less stressful event for the dolphins, & provide them with a safe environment in which to exist.

Creation & distribution of educational materials

The simple fact is - even though it surrounds us - our basic educational coverage of the ocean is frighteningly poor. The average person probably couldn’t name five species of marine life that resides in our waters, As is the norm with human education what we are mainly taught is self preservation - or “how not to die in the ocean in the summer” - & so it is no wonder that the destruction of the ocean has happened right under our noses without anyone really noticing. Seeking to change this & raise awareness of the wonders that exist just feet from the sand we are working to compile a comprehensive collection of educational materials that can be used by both adults & children alike to increase their understanding of the marine environment & its importance to our very existence.

Ghost gear removal

It has been said that anywhere from 20 - 45% of all waste in the ocean can be directly traced back to the fishing industry, both commercial & recreational. In Islands such as ours where sustenance fishing fights for stock with commercial trawlers the amount of man made rope, netting, plastic & other paraphernalia that is thrown into the depths on a weekly basis is staggering, unfortunately much of this will eventually fall victim to the violence of the ocean & become unusable or lost. As an industry, fisheries (both large and small) have zero pressure to remove their waste & so much of it still roams the ocean waters indiscriminately snagging fish, marine mammals & even birds or washes up on our beaches where it poses further danger to shore bound creatures. Using watercraft & shore cleaning teams we track down & remove as much of this waste as possible & recycle or dispose of it in a manner that it can no longer harm ocean species.

Introductions to the ocean environment

We have found that - without exception - the people who care about the oceans the most are the people who have experienced what it has to offer. Whether they be surfers, kayakers, swimmers, snorkelers or divers, once you have played within it, the ocean is impossible to forget. In order to increase the number of people who are actively using & caring about the ocean environment we run free introduction programs in a variety of activities, creating more ocean lovers with every session.

These sessions are available to anyone of any level & offer not only a healthy, safe & fun way to gain a greater understanding of the ocean but also a gentle introduction to activities that can be enjoyed further on an individual basis.