Seal in the winter surf, Image by Claire Lewis
Save Our Seas
Our seas should be full of life
And they can be again. But right now, too much is going wrong beneath the surface.
Pollution is damaging our waters. Fragile seabeds are being destroyed. Marine animals are being accidentally caught and dying as bycatch. Climate change is altering ecosystems. And without proper monitoring, we still don’t have a full picture of what’s happening at sea.
This isn’t because people don’t care. It’s because the system isn’t working — not for wildlife, not for coastal communities, and not for the fishers who depend on healthy seas for their livelihoods.
But together, we can change that.
By protecting vital habitats, supporting sustainable fishing, and improving how our seas are monitored and managed, we can help bring our oceans back to life.
Adrian Langdon
To save our seas we need to:
Protect marine habitats
Stronger protection is needed to reduce pollution, habitat damage, and harm to marine wildlife.
Support sustainable fishing
A fairer system can support low-impact fishing, sustainable livelihoods, and coastal communities.
Monitor what happens at sea
Better monitoring helps us understand our seas and find solutions that work.
Work together for healthier seas
Healthier seas depend on action from governments, fishers, businesses, communities, and conservation groups.
What needs to change
Evidence of bycatch on the harbour porpoise tail – Cornwall Marine Pathology Team
Bycatch
Bycatch — which is the accidental capture of non-target species in fishing gear — is one of the biggest threats facing marine wildlife.
Seabirds, dolphins, porpoises, sharks, and seals can all become entangled in fishing gear intended for other species. Much of this happens unseen and unrecorded, making it difficult to understand the true scale of the problem or identify effective solutions.
Reducing bycatch is essential if we are to recover vulnerable species and create healthier, more resilient seas.
© Paul Naylor
Habitat destruction
Some fishing methods can damage fragile seabed habitats that can take decades to recover.
Seagrass meadows, reefs, and seabed habitats provide nursery grounds for marine life, store carbon, and support extraordinary biodiversity — yet many are being degraded faster than they can regenerate.
Protecting and restoring these habitats is critical for wildlife, climate resilience, and the long-term sustainability of fisheries.
Volunteer at a Seaquest southwest sea watch, image by Matt Slater.
Lack of monitoring
There are still major gaps in how fishing activity and its impacts are monitored.
Many fisheries operate with limited independent observation, inconsistent reporting, and poor data collection. Without reliable information, it is difficult to make informed decisions, enforce protections or build trust between regulators, conservation groups, and fishing communities.
Better monitoring can help create fairer, evidence-based management and a clearer understanding of what is happening at sea.
Ringnet fishing for sardines. Image by Matt Slater.
Pressure on fishers
Fishers themselves are under increasing pressure.
Rising costs, changing regulations, declining fish stocks, and uncertain markets are making it harder for many small-scale fishing businesses to survive. Too often, coastal communities feel excluded from decisions that affect their livelihoods.
A sustainable future for our seas must include support for fishers — helping them transition to lower-impact practices and recognising the vital role they play in coastal life and food production.
Our seas can recover
With the right protections, better monitoring and support for sustainable fishing, we can create healthier seas for wildlife and people alike.
But change will only happen if enough of us speak up.
Together, we can build a future where our seas are full of life once again.
Inspired to take action?
For the first time, a new report is revealing the data behind the nets, demonstrating the true scale of bycatch in UK waters.
Members of The Wildlife and Countryside Link coalition are calling for Government action.
Make this a watershed moment in turning this crisis around. It's important for MPs to be in the room when the report is launched in Parliament on the 10th June.
