Shore Watch is a scheme started on a trial basis in January 1995 under the current title. It was operated without a title from about 1986. The title was chosen by John Dawes and Andy Horton.

The object of the scheme is to record wildlife on the seashore. The results will be published in the marine wildlife journal Glaucus and in computer database accessible by contributors and the public for a nominal charge.

The aims of the project are:

1) stimulate interest in the seashore as a valuable wildlife habitat.
2) educate the public in the sciences and art of the intertidal zone.
3) give naturalists the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and observations.
4) identify and record any marine wildlife trends.
5) give a commonsense supplement to proper scientific surveys.
6) publish the merits of British seashore life to the uninitiated and foreign students.

The public can help in the following ways:

a) recording their marine wildlife observations on the forms provided and sending them in.
b) recording their marine wildlife observations on paper in their own way form and sending them in.
c) sending in photographs of wildlife observations for identifying species.
d) sending in photographs of wildlife and habitats and general coastal scenes for publication in the database if the picture is suitable and of sufficient quality.
e) recording the dominant fauna, visual description and shore topography.

Types of pictures wanted:

f) panoramic views of the seashore; rocky coasts, sandy coasts etc.
g) animals: jellyfish washed up, dolphins, seals, sea birds, sharks, turtles, sunfish, and the smaller animals, underwater shots if the photographer is good enough.
 

Rockpooling	Seashore
Coastal Code	Behaviour and Conservation

 

Problems:

Identifying species correctly. This may be partly overcome by the new Collin's Guide to the Seashore due out soon.

Andy Horton
Editor of Glaucus.