Today we are featuring a guest blog from marine & coastal ecology expert and TV presenter, Maya Plass. Find out what amazing creatures are hiding beneath the waves!
Maya Plass on our brilliant seas
Last week I had the pleasure of a shore dive in our UK waters. My eyes feasted on all the stunning sights around me – Cushion Stars decorated a rocky reef and Corkwing Wrasse darted in and out of view using the swaying fronds of kelp as refuge. On one stem of seaweed I saw a cushion star tightly wrapped around the “stipe” or stem of the bladder wrack. Momentarily, in its curled state it resembled the very recently discovered mollusc Simnia hiscocki - although this lives in deeper waters on the delicately branching sea fans. Incredibly this species of mollusc was only recently discovered off Plymouth waters, such is the nature of our marine environment where new species are still to be found. This got me thinking about the chances of discovering new marine species.
Cushion stars on a tyre. Photo: Maya Plass
Coincidentally, when we emerged on to dry land I had a call from a radio producer to ask about the recently reported marine news - scientists had clarified and estimated the age old question of just how many marine species there are in our seas and oceans. They discovered that a whopping 482, 000 to 741,000 marine species are yet to be discovered bringing our total estimate for marine species to approximately 1 million! Quite how they extrapolate these figures from their data is quite beyond my statistical know-how. However, it is obvious to see that this really tells a clear story of just how much, or how little, we know about our seas and oceans and how much we have yet to discover.
Not long ago, it was reported that a “faceless, brainless fish” had been discovered in our Scottish waters off Orkney. Alongside this a group of research scientists discovered vast beds of horse mussels, fan mussels (my personal favourite and the largest UK mollusc) and also the striking flame shells. The news of new marine species is always exciting and testament to our increased ability to explore our seas and oceans. In times gone by scientists would have discovered deep sea creatures by examining the stomach contents of fish. Today, we have vastly improved our ability to explore our marine environment. We have submersibles, underwater “Remotely Operated Vehicles” and divers even have re-breathing kit allowing for longer periods of submerged exploration. We have the potential, if we have the funding, to discover one new marine species every day for at least the next 1320 years.
Flameshell. Photo: Calum Duncan
That is if our seas were to remain in a healthy and stable condition for the next 1320 years. A potentially impossible aspiration knowing what we do about the modern pressures on our seas and oceans. I find it disturbing to imagine how our seas might look in the next 50 years when we have already witnessed huge decline over the previous 50 years. We are witnessing mass extinctions at an unprecedented rate which we are responsible for. Coastal habitats are being lost due to development, siltation and pollution while our open and deep seas are being overfished, polluted with plastic and a cocktail of chemicals or exploited for aggregates, minerals, gas, coal and oil.
As a mother it saddens me to think that in my daughter’s lifetime there will be many marine creatures which we will lose to extinction before we have the chance to discover them. But I hope she continues to have the chance to enjoy our coast. I want her to be able enjoy rockpooling for shore crab and Blenny. Perhaps, when she’s older, she might get to see the rocky reefs of the deeper seas where the rocks are thick with species from the “fluffy” Plumose anemone, to delicate feather stars and our own soft and hard corals – all to be discovered in our very own British waters.
Snakelocks anemone. Photo: Maya Plass
We do have a glimmer of hope for our seas, if our politicians take on the responsibility of creating and supporting a coherent network of Marine Protected Areas. This means formally protecting a collection of important marine habitats and species, representing the remarkable biodiversity of our seas. We are at a vital tipping point in our seas where our action now will ensure their future health. This quality and health of our seas and oceans will directly reflect and impact the quality of our own lives here on land.
Marine biodiversity is essential for many reasons including ensuring the long term sustainability of fisheries. Marine species also harbour an array of medicinal properties which have, like our marine sponges, the potential to cure cancers and other diseases. If we continue to plunder our marine environment for short term economic gain we will start to see environmental degradation which will only limit our ability to benefit from the valuable resources that are found in our seas in the future. We need our seas for the oxygen (equivalent to every second breath!) which plankton provides, for associated recreation, tourism and the economy which is driven by a healthy ecosystem.
Scotland is a jewel in the British Isles’ natural history crown with some diverse and important coastal and marine habitats from vast colonies of sea birds and marine mammals to deep sea cold water coral reefs. Now is the time for politicians to protect this resource which can provide an endless source of wonder, enjoyment and economy for years to come.
*To see more brilliant photos from Maya’s dives - visit our Facebook page.