New Sussex organisation fighting to save marine life

Started by Steve Allnutt, an underwater photographer who was been diving in Bognor Regis since 1994, the Sussex Seabed Restoration Project has declared its mission to rescue sea life which washes up on the shores of Bognor Regis and beyond.

Confirmed as a Community Interest Company back in November, Steve, joined by Catrine Priestley, Ian Walker MBE, Paul Boniface, David Philips, Jessica McGregor, Shaun Challis, Eric Smith and Martin Czarkowski, plan to trawl the coast searching for cuttlefish eggs, squid eggs and other signs of marine life that land on the shore, displaced by pollution or other man-made forces.

From there, the team will deposit the eggs in specialised salt-water tanks, where they can hatch in relative safety and be returned to the sea.

“We’re looking for anything that will need a home to hatch its eggs. Those eggs can be saved and safely deposited in our tanks,” Mr Allnutt said.

“We plan on filming the process and putting it on social media in order to spread the word and get the community interested.”

Mr Allnutt said the new project was inspired by the success of his kelp restoration project last year.

Recognising the need for further conservation work, he launched the Sussex Seabed Restoration Project in order to take the fight for our seas even further.

“What I want it to become is an ongoing project where people can see the benefits of this kind of work.

“It sounds a bit cheesy but there’s a real feel-good factor when it comes to what you can achieve in the sea.”

Even though it’s still a relatively new group, Mr Allnutt’s dedication to spreading the word has started to pay off, and the Sussex Seabed Restoration Project is already picking up steam.

“There’s a lot of interest in seabeds and marine life off our Sussex coastline. It’s only going to grow more and more,” he said.

Visit bognor.co.uk for more