Beached! aims to collect records of the species found washed up on the strandline (the line where the tide stops and leaves algae, shells, moults, etc). We’re recording general finds to build a baseline of the life just off shore, but we’d also like records of species washed in from further afield. We’re especially keen to have records of species “wrecks” (a large deposit of dead and dying organisms at once).
Why do we want to know about dead stuff?
The Irish Sea is very productive and this is evident when looking at the strandline which is where the remains of animals and plants often end up after they have died. Looking at what ends up on the strandline helps us understand what is happening offshore.
As well as building a solid baseline of information, Beached! hopes to answer two questions about our strandline:
1. Every now and then the strandline is dominated by large numbers of dead and dying animals of one or two invertebrate species. These are a common and, mostly, natural occurrence, as part of the cycle of life in our seas, but we know very little about where or why these ‘wrecks’ occur.
A wider build-up of records might help provide a better idea of what could be the cause. We need to document these ‘wrecks’ of marine life to be able later to analyse things like the weather that occurred at the time.
2. Where are the best strandlines? Concentrations of shells and other things build up at certain spots. Are these always in the same place and are different species found at different times of year?
Get Involved with Beached!
This project would especially suit people who regularly walk a length of beach and want to know more about the sea offshore.
Take a photo of the various species you want to record, noting its approximate length (if possible a GPS location). Take a close-up photo of each individual species present.
Please submit your records to us via the Cofnod Online Recording System. Click Enter Records then choose Beached! from the list. If you haven't yet signed up to use the ORS you can register here.
Click here to email the Living Seas Project Officer at North Wales Wildlife Trust for more information, if required.
Wreck or Remains?
Visit the Beached! project page on North Wales Wildlife Trust website for more details and various resources which will help you identify what you've found.
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