Project Dates: 1.9.25 to 31.12.26

 

N.B. DEF initially awarded £12,000 via Crowdfunder to encourage more donations from the public in support of this  project. A successful campaign enabled us to award a total of £18,000. Huge thanks to all who generously supported!

 

WHY SEAGRASS MATTERS

In the UK, we’ve already lost over 90% of our seagrass beds – one of the most important and under appreciated ecosystems in the ocean. Seagrass is a powerhouse:

🌿Sores up to 35x more carbon than tropical rainforests

🐟Provides nursery grounds for many species of fish and other marine life

🪸In Devon, seagrass meadows are home to protected species like the short-snouted seahorse

Brixham’s Fishcombe Cove is one of the few places in Devon where seagrass still thrives – but we need to learn more to protect it.

 

SEAGRASS THREATS  

Torbay’s seagrass faces threats from pollution, anchor damage, coastal development, and climate change, leading to significant habitat loss for a multitude of marine species.

However, Torbay’s seagrass beds have been valued at £5.72 million for their carbon sequestration services alone, making them an invaluable resource that needs to be monitored and protected.

 

LOCAL SOLUTIONS

Our grantee, The Cove Discovery Project, has identified three key sites: Fishcombe Cove, Breakwater Beach, and Shoalstone Beach to commit to regular dives over 5 years to investigate and monitor the seagrass.

They aim to build the case to turn Fishcombe Cove, Brixham into a Voluntary No Take Zone – stopping the damage, supporting biodiversity and allowing nature to recover, while working with local fishers and our community to ensure shared benefits and regenerate our local community ensuring sustainable long term outcomes.

 

 

This project has been kindly supported by Regatta Great Outdoors and all the local businesses and individuals who generously supported via our Crowdfunder campaign.

Project Impact Update April 2026

Project Activities:

• Seagrass Dive Surveys The team has completed explorative dives and official survey dives at three specific seagrass sites in Brixham: Churston/Fishcombe Cove, Breakwater Beach, and Shoalstone. A survey at a fourth site is scheduled to take place soon, pending weather conditions. To ensure data integrity, these spring surveys mirror the methodology previously established by The Wild Planet Trust, utilizing systematic GPS coordinates, transect lines, and quadrat methods. Planning for the upcoming summer surveys is currently underway.
• Public Engagement and Education Public outreach activities are designed to reach both residents and visitors to highlight the importance of local seagrass habitats. The project has successfully conducted visits and field trips with four local primary and secondary schools. During these educational sessions, they present videos and photographs to illustrate the rich marine biodiversity found in these ecosystems. Additionally, the project has seen increased social media engagement regarding their seagrass posts, indicating a growing community appetite for knowledge and marine protection in Torbay. Future plans include visiting clubs and setting up activities on local beaches.
• Collaboration, Advocacy, and Research The project team has been actively holding meetings with key collaborative organizations, including The Seahorse Trust, The Wild Planet Trust, the Ocean Conservation Trust, and the MMO. These discussions focus on seagrass surveys, data sharing, future planning, and progressing the implementation of a ‘Voluntary No Take Zone’ for Churston/Fishcombe Cove. Furthermore, the team is currently co-writing a paper with the Ocean Conservation Trust to highlight Fishcombe/Churston Cove as a successful conservation case study regarding community engagement and the reduction of negative human impacts.
• Operational Activities To support their ongoing marine work, the team is progressing with the refurbishment of their dive boat, which is scheduled to launch in May 2026.

 

Project Outcomes:

• Increased Community Awareness: The team has noted an increase in social media activity regarding their seagrass posts, which indicates a growing appetite for knowledge and a desire for increased marine protection within the Torbay community. This has been supported by successful educational visits and field trips with four local primary and secondary schools.
• Strengthened Collaborative Relationships: The project team reports that they are “loving all aspects” of the project, particularly the enhanced relationships with collaborative organizations. They have held positive meetings to progress their goals with the MMO, The Wild Planet Trust, The Seahorse Trust, and the Ocean Conservation Trust.
• Recognition as a Conservation Case Study: As a direct result of their progress, the Ocean Conservation Trust has requested to co-write a paper with the team. The draft, which is currently underway, will highlight Fishcombe/Churston Cove as a successful conservation case study demonstrating effective community engagement and the reduction of negative human impacts on the environment.
• Successful Spring Data Capture: The team has successfully collected data at three survey sites (Churston/Fishcombe Cove, Breakwater Beach, and Shoalstone) using methodology consistent with previous years to ensure data integrity. This successfully covers the remit for their spring surveys.