Blue Hope Alliance

🌊 Exciting update! New reports on Flame Shell Beds and Atlantic Maerl Beds are now available on our website. Discover why these vital marine habitats are at risk and what their decline means for our oceans. Explore the details now! 🐚💙

👉 head over to our news section
www.bluehopealliance.co.uk

Nteresting event hosted in Lochaber…https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=944827480990007&id=100063882912589

📣PUBLIC EVENT
Rocking the Boat: making fishing more sustainable 📽

Corran Halls
7:30pm
Wednesday, 4th September 2024

Fish and chips has long been the nation's favourite dish and fresh, local fish supports Oban's claim as the seafood capital of Scotland.

Yet the industry faces many challenges.

Hear from fishermen and filmmakers on three projects that have used to document how they are innovating the industry and inspiring change.

Tickets are £5 and are available from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/scottish-association-for-marine-science

Come and join us!

This event is part of the Challenger Society Conference, hosted by SAMS in Oban.

🌊💙 Exciting times ahead for our oceans! Rewilding Britain’s latest blog highlights 10 essential reforms to boost marine rewilding, from restoring vital oyster beds to empowering local communities to protect our seas. 🦪🌊 These changes could be game-changers for our blue planet!

At Blue Hope Alliance, we share a vision for a thriving, resilient marine environment—one where nature is restored and protected, and people are empowered to be part of the solution. By supporting these critical reforms, we can help bring life back to our seas and ensure sustainable, healthy oceans for generations to come. 🌍💧

Let’s join forces and push for a blue future.

🔗 Read more: Rewilding Britain’s 10 Essential Marine Reforms

Keep the date…Wednesday 21st August Blue Hope Alliance Film Night Applecross along with Come & See our Seas Day around the Applecross Peninsula

A few years ago, the owner of West Highland Marine Boat Trips discovered a sample of maerl in Loch Ewe. This finding was shared with us at the Blue Hope Alliance, which led us to set up a transect to survey the maerl population.

Thanks to this wonderful safari business, we managed to find this maerl and establish a solid survey route in Loch Ewe. We’re pleased to announce that this transect will be handed over to the new community marine group, Seabed and Seashore Loch Ewe in September, with ongoing support from us.

This transect in Loch Ewe is an important part of our ongoing efforts to understand and protect marine habitats. We're confident that Seabed and Seashore will continue this important work.

is hosting this incredible community gathering of young people in September as part of their mission to empower them to feel able and confident to speak up for Scotlands seas.
We wish them every success with the event! And support in building a broader alliance across Scotland in protecting our ocean.

We’re thrilled to share an incredible photo story from our May dive survey! 🌿📸 This special mission aimed to:

Find the live maerl bed at the back of Tanera.
Identify species of filamentous algae living on live maerl in the Summer Isles and Torridon.
Explore maerl habitat and seaweeds.
Collect water and maerl samples.
This photo story is a huge thank you and a tribute to everyone who came together to make this happen - a web working like an ecosystem. 🌊✨

Visit our website here: https://bit.ly/3zGkWGN
to experience this visual journey and see the amazing efforts of our members and partners. 🐟🦑

Want to be the first to hear about our latest news and see captivating imagery from below the water? Sign up for our newsletter by emailing 📧 [email protected]

Let's protect our seas together! 🌊💙

Exploring the Depths: A Photo story of Maerl & Citizen Science Survey, May 2024 — Blue Hope Alliance This photo story celebrates the collaboration of members, and partners dedicated to exploring and restoring our seas. Above sea level, we capture the collective efforts and dedication of Seasearch East, the crew of Claudia, and St Vincent from Tanera, alongside all Blue Hope Alliance members and sup

🌊 The Importance of Public Engagement in Maerl Conservation 🌊
We’re excited to share an insightful article by our scientific advisor Jason Hall-Spencer and marine researcher Lina Rasmusson from Gothenburg University, focusing on the vital role of community involvement in maerl conservation in Wester Ross. Featuring the Blue Hope Alliance, this piece highlights the power of local communities in driving impactful conservation efforts. Read the full article bit.ly/4cP5xCa
Since I started as the Community Engagement Project Officer in April, I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible dedication of our volunteers. Their passion for protecting the marine environment is truly inspiring!
Jason Hall-Spencer has been a key figure in our efforts, including participating in a film we made about maerl in northwest Scotland. His support underscores the importance of public engagement in marine conservation.
Want to stay updated with our latest news? Join our email list! We don’t send emails often, but when we do, they’re packed with high-quality content. Just message us with your email address to join.
Thank you for your continued support in conserving our marine ecosystems! 💙

Vote blue! Ocean blue 🌊

🌊 Today is the day - an opportunity to be an Ocean Citizen - to vote for the ocean.

🌊 It can all be really confusing to know who to vote for, but the thing to focus on today is to use your voice as best as this system allows, for how you’d like the future to look for our ocean, climate and nature.

and all have some really great resources to help you see what the various parties’ manifestos say about nature, but it will vary constituency by constituency as to what your individual MP will fight for in your area.

Most importantly - trust yourself and what you care about, even if the choices aren’t perfect, and please head to the polls today to be an Ocean Citizen 💙

Photo by the wonderful

🌊🐙 Dive into the mesmerizing underwater world of the Dahlia Anemone! 🐙🌊

Check out these stunning photos from Cathedral Cave in the Summer Isles, captured during the May Dive Survey Week 📸✨

Fun Facts about the Dahlia Anemone:

🌈 Vibrant Colours: Dahlia Anemones come in an array of hues, from deep reds and purples to bright oranges and yellows, making each encounter a unique visual treat.

🏞️ Habitat: Found on rocky shores all around the UK and the seabed up to 100m deep.

🌊 Tentacles: They have up to 160 short, thick tentacles used to catch prey and defend against predators.

🪨 Camouflage: Fragments of sand, shell, and gravel stick to grey warts on their bodies, helping them blend into their surroundings.

🍽️ Diet: They feed on small fish and crustaceans, using their stinging tentacles to immobilize passing prey.

🌊🌿✨🦀🐠💙🐙🌈📸

Images courtesy of Rob Spray Seasearch East

🌊🐠 Discover the Red Cushion Star! 🐠🌊

Check out this stunning Red Cushion Star (Porania pulvillus) spotted by our Blue Hope Alliance dive volunteers at Horse Island in the beautiful Summer Isles, northwest Scotland back in 2021! 😍📸

These vibrant sea stars can grow up to 12 cm in diameter!

They have a unique smooth surface adorned with scattered clusters of white, yellowish, or translucent soft 'papillae' that act as gills. 🌬️

Found in various underwater habitats, this particular star is resting on a bed of maerl, a type of calcified seaweed that forms a crucial part of the marine ecosystem. 🌿

Red cushion stars are known to feed on sponges, bryozoans, and detritus, playing a key role in the ocean's nutrient cycle. 🍽️

They have a remarkable ability to regenerate lost arms, making them resilient survivors of the sea. 🌟

The bright red colour of these stars can vary, sometimes appearing orange or even pink, depending on their diet and environment. 🎨

They are often found at depths ranging from shallow waters to over 200 metres deep! 🌊

These sea stars can sometimes be seen forming clusters with other cushion stars, creating a beautiful underwater spectacle. 🌟✨

Our dedicated volunteers were surveying the maerl habitat when they encountered this amazing marine creature, showcasing the incredible biodiversity of our oceans. 🐚✨ 🌊🌟

Dive into the wonders of the underwater world with us and explore more incredible marine life!

🌊🐙 Meet the Bobtail Squid of Loch Carron MPA! 🐙🌊

We're excited to share some incredible close-up images of the fascinating bobtail squid, a resident of the Loch Carron Marine Protected Area (MPA). Today, we're spotlighting this amazing creature because it's one of our founding member's favourite marine animals!

🔍 Fun Facts About Bobtail Squid:

Bobtail squid are small, typically only a few centimetres long.

They have the incredible ability to change colour and texture to blend in with their surroundings, helping them avoid predators and catch prey.

They harbour bioluminescent bacteria in a special light organ, which helps them glow in the dark, providing camouflage and communication.

These little squids are nocturnal, spending their nights hunting for small fish and crustaceans, such as shrimp.

🏞️ Loch Carron was designated as a Marine Protected Area in 2017 due to its rich biodiversity and unique marine habitats. One of the priority marine features of Loch Carron is the maerl beds. Maerl is a type of coralline algae that forms hard, brittle beds on the seafloor, creating a complex habitat that supports a diverse array of marine life, including the bobtail squid.

Maerl beds are vital for marine biodiversity. They provide essential habitat and breeding grounds for many species, including the bobtail squid. Protecting these habitats helps ensure the survival of these incredible species and maintains the health of our oceans for future generations.

At the Blue Hope Alliance, we survey the maerl beds in the Loch Carron MPA to help monitor and protect these vital habitats. By protecting areas like Loch Carron, we help preserve these unique habitats and the species that rely on them 🌍💙

The stunning photos of the bobtail squid were taken by Mark Skea on a memorial dive back in 2020. These images are copyrighted and serve as a beautiful reminder of the rich marine life in Loch Carron

The legendary Dr Sylvia Earle on why Blue Hope Spots are so important…and why we need to think bigger…https://www.facebook.com/100059568037979/posts/843133044348956/?

Sylvia Earle's Hope Spots Are Preserving Our Oceans. Her Next Step? Go Even Bigger.

Below Water 🌊🐠

Diving into the depths of An Eaglais Mhor (Cathedral Cave) was an unforgettable experience! 🌟✨ This iconic cave on the south side of Tanera Beag is full of biodiversity, with encrusted seaweeds and countless species living in its depths. 🐟🦑

Our divers documented many of the amazing wonders under the surface on Wednesday 22nd May, and we’re excited to share some of those discoveries with you today! 📸🔍

The underwater world here is truly spectacular, teeming with life and vibrant colours. Dive into these incredible images! 🌊

Stay curious and keep exploring the underwater wonders! 🌍🔍✨

Images courtesy of Rob Spray Seasearch East

🐠🦀💦

🌊🚤 Exploring the Summer Isles from above! 🌟✨ On Tuesday afternoon, we set off from Mol Mor to An Eaglais Mhor (Cathedral Cave) on the south side of Tanera Beag. This iconic cave is one of the largest and most exciting in the islands, making it a popular dive site. 🏞️

We travelled aboard the beautiful St Vincent Herring Lugger and the Claudia boat, and the views were absolutely stunning! 🌅🛥️

Check out these amazing images of our journey and the breathtaking scenery! 📸🌊

🚤🏝️

🌟✨ It’s not all about the diving. Part of the Blue Hope Alliance’s mission, in collaboration with Seasearch, is to record what we see and to better understand the underwater habitats and ecosystems of the Summer Isles🌿🏝️ the stunning North West Highlands.

Our main focus is the fascinating Maerl beds! ✨ Maerl is a type of coralline algae that forms an important habitat for a diverse range of marine life. 🌊🐟

Throughout the week, we collected samples of seaweeds from each dive site, both at the seabed and at various depths underwater for further analysis. 🌱🦑

Our amazing volunteers from the Seasearch East team spent their evenings tirelessly identifying every single seaweed sample collected. With hundreds of samples to go through, each one was examined under the microscope, identified, logged, and then pressed! 🧐🔬📚

We’ll have to wait a few weeks before we get the results, but we can’t wait to share our findings with you all! Stay tuned! ⏳📝

🌊🦀🐚💙

🌿 Seaweed Pressing Evening: A Dive Survey Week Highlight! 📸
A whole array of samples was meticulously collected from Reiff Bay for our much-anticipated seaweed pressing evening. 🌊
It was a privilege to stand before everyone as I hosted my first public engagement event, guiding our guests through an evening filled with exploration and discovery. Special thanks to our local seaweed specialist Julia Barton, whose expertise enriched the occasion, not to mention the delicious food she provided for the team afterward. 🍽️
As part of Dive Survey Week, The Blue Hope Alliance orchestrated a captivating event on Seaweed in Achiltibuie, following a week of survey diving and underwater filming around Tanera. 🎥
The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly our seaweed pressing event. Nicky Middleton Jones, our newly appointed Blue Hope Alliance Project Officer, kicked off the evening with an engaging talk, introducing the alliance’s films on maerl. 🌿 Seasearch East coordinators, Rob Spray and Dawn Watson, shared their experiences, having previously presented a collection of pressed seaweeds to the Natural History Museum in London. Rob’s captivating talk showcased stunning photos from the weeks surveys so far conducted behind Tanera and at Reiff, fresh from the press. 📸
Nicky also treated us to a short film captured by scallop divers working for the Alliance’s founder, Ali Hughson of Keltic Seafare. The film unveiled a vast area of herring spawn on maerl in Gairloch, a remarkable discovery dating back to 2018. 🐟 Julia Barton, an artist with a profound connection to seaweed, provided invaluable support throughout the evening. 🎨
Through our discussions, we delved into the intricate role seaweed plays in our ecosystem. Unlike land-based plants, seaweed doesn’t feed through its root system; instead, it harnesses energy from sunlight and nutrients from the sea. 🌊
Stay tuned for more exciting events and discoveries as we continue our mission to protect and celebrate the wonders of our marine world!

🌊📸🌿

🌊Dive Survey Adventure 🐟

Last Tuesday our Blue Hope Alliance dive team, led by Seasearch East experts Rob Spray and Dawn Watson, embarked on an incredible journey in Mol Mor Bay. Joined by our founding member Sara Nason and passionate volunteer divers, we explored the historic herring spawning grounds in the Scottish Highlands. ⛰️🐟

Thanks to the crew of the St. Vincent Herring Lugger and Claudia from Tanera, we used a traditional herring fishing boat, adding a nostalgic touch to our mission. This very boat once served a bustling herring station, connecting our present efforts to the rich maritime history of Ullapool and Gairloch. 🚣‍♂️🐟

During our dive, we discovered a vast and undisturbed maerl bed at 15m depth, proving to be an excellent habitat for spawning herring. This thriving ecosystem surprised us, given past dredging activities in the area. Additionally, we found a fleet of ghost creels marking the beginning of the maerl bed, reinforcing the ecological richness of Mol Mor Bay. 🌱🐟

Excitingly, we aim to involve the citizen science Herring Hunt project to further explore this perfect spawning ground. Stay tuned as we uncover more underwater wonders! 🌊🔍

Underwater images courtesy of Rob Spray Seasearch East

🌊🔍🐟