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Our precious seas are dying from neglect - increasingly overfished, over-trafficked and over-developed.With your help, we've achieved a new law - the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act - that finally gives our oceans the urgent and effective protection they deserve. But this is just the start. The UK Government must now use these new powers to create protected areas for creatures as diverse as basking sharks, seabirds and corals, and their habitats, to recover and prosper without the threat of human activities. In Scotland and Northern Ireland we're continuing to campaign for effective legislation to cover their inshore waters, to ensure all the UK's seas are fully protected. Together, we can help safeguard our sea life.  BlogSimon King's Shetland DiariesPosted 4 Feb 2010 Well, tonight's the night! The first of a three part series "Simon King's Shetland Diaries" is being broadcast on BBC2 at 8pm. Having helped behind the scenes, I am very very very excited about it! The RSPB in Shetland have been involved throughout, with three RSPB nature reserves being used. Simon and his family visited Mousa to film storm petrels, Fetlar to follow red-necked phalaropes and Sumburgh Head for puffins and guillemots. Noss and Hermaness National Nature Reserves (managed by Scottish Natural Heritage) with their immense seabird colonies will also feature. Of course, the series will cover more sealife than simply birds, with otters and orcas starring too. Written by helen moncrieff Craaaaa cra cra cra craaaaaPosted 19 Jan 2010 We've had a remarkably calm winter in Shetland. However, we had Force 9 gales on Saturday. Winter in Shetland wouldn't be the same without a good gale. The impact on the sea is quite amazing. Apparently the waves were crashing over a roundabout in town! On Sunday it had calmed and was quite beautiful with the sea still roaring. I took a walk to Scatness and enjoyed the crashing of the waves, noticing how the purple sandpipers tucked themselves just out of reach . Another impact that the gales have on the sea is how it changes the colour. There's lots of grown-up science I could write about aeration, abosorption of light and stuff, but I prefer to think of it as art - the ever changing mood of the sea that so influences life in Shetland. Written by helen moncrieff Marine corpses and teenage memoriesPosted 6 Jan 2010 Hello and Happy New Year from all the team in Shetland. There has certainly been some wintery weather recently. The beach where I frequently walk (West Voe, Sumburgh) has been frozen for nearly three weeks. It's quite amazing. I often see otter prints on the sandy beaches around Sumburgh. It's interesting to find otter prints frozen solid in the sand, like a frosty fossil. This photo below was actually taken before the winter, but it shows tracks of the otter as it returned to the sea. Written by helen moncrieff Thumbs up for the Marine ActPosted 11 Dec 2009 Dr Sharon Thompson, our Senior Marine Policy Officer gives us an insider's view on celebrating our contribution towards securing a Marine Act. On the 2nd of December, the great and the good descended on the London Aquarium to celebrate the Marine & Coastal Access Act receiving Royal Assent (i.e. becoming an Act) in November this year. The RSPB, along with our partners in Wildlife & Countryside Link had thrown a celebration bash to mark this momentous milestone on the road to effective protection of our marine wildlife. Written by kim barratt | How you can helpHelp fund our work
Our marine environment urgently needs protection. A one-off donation from you today will help our work to protect the varied and wonderful creatures of the untamed oceans. By giving a regular gift, you'll become a Sea Life Guardian and help lead the way through these tough times. Support usMy life with seabirds
Hi. I'm Mark Bolton. I spend a lot of my time wrapped up in waterproofs on remote coasts and islands for the RSPB. But what does my job have to do with the unprecedented challenges our sea life is facing, and how can you help? Latest news
The threats to our sea life
Our seas are rich in wildlife, yet many of our precious native habitats and species are under threat or in decline. Ever-increasing pressures from human activities are putting animals such as magnificent basking sharks, delicate cold water corals, exotic seahorses and the 26 species of seabird which nest along the UK's coastline at risk. Find out more about the threats our seas face. Visit our amazing coast
We've picked out our best coastal reserves that we think you'll be blown away by! Click on a star to start your journey to see some of our amazing sea life. Alternatively, make a date with seabirds at one of our projects across the UK. |
