From flukes to flu: our 2022 marine review

of thousands of seabirds were killed by the disease, including terns, gulls, gannets, and skuas. Research shows that as much as 13% of the UK population of great skuas – 8% of the global population – have died.

Unfortunately, avian flu was just one of the issues putting pressure on our sensitive sea life. There were multiple reports of people disturbing marine animals, from jet skiers ploughing through colonies of seabirds to beachgoers distressing seals by getting too close. Pollution continued to be a major problem, with several oil spills including 500 barrels leaked from a cracked pipe off North Wales. A study of dead Manx shearwaters on Skomer island found the majority had eaten plastic, with adults feeding pieces to chicks. Scientists fear that 99% of seabirds may have plastics in their stomachs by 2050.

However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for our seas, as Wildlife Trusts embarked on many projects to restore coastal habitats. These wild places often have a vital role to play in sequestering and storing carbon, as well as sheltering wildlife. Several Wildlife Trusts started projects to plant seagrass meadows, which can absorb and store carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests. Essex Wildlife Trust created a toolkit for restoring saltmarsh, another key habitat, to inspire and guide similar projects around the UK.

The UK will become the first nation to produce a complete map of its blue carbon stores. The Blue Carbon Mapping project – led by the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in collaboration with The Wildlife Trusts, WWF and RSPB – has begun the task and will publish results this summer.

Wildlife Trusts also helped empower young people and local communities to save our seas. Projects ranged from art students cleaning beaches with Durham Wildlife Trust, to Cheshire Wildlife Trust training teachers to deliver lessons on wildlife in the Dee Estuary.