Skomer MCZ May 5th

Our first visit of the year to Skomer Marine Conservation Zone saw us visit the angling ledges of Low Point.

Low Point – 9 volunteers – 3 meter viz – dive time of 45 mins = 92 lead weights / 147 lures / angling line / 1 bottle.

The second dive of the day was carried out on the Behar wreck after reports from local fishermen of lost pots.

Behar – 9 volunteers – 3 meter viz – dive time of 45 mins = 6 lost lobster pots / 1 anchor.

Hobbs Point May 20th

Out first visit of the year to Hobbs saw us kick things off with a photo and thanks to one of our funders for 2016/17, the Port of Milford Haven. The sun was shinning as NARC volunteer divers covered the area adjacent to the slip and jetty. 3 metre viz allowed us to locate the usual array of litter, much of which you would not expect to find in a Marine SAC.

Hobbs Point – 8 volunteers – 3 meter viz – dive time of 50 mins = 11 lobster pots / 1 whelk pot / 3 rod stands / 1 prawn net / 3 rods / 1 reel / half bag of line / oil filter / 2 bikes / 4 bottles / 1 plate / 1 cup / 4 cans / tiles / 1 mobile phone / 3 tyres / 1 laptop / 1 remote control / 1 mirror / 2 metres of rubber pipe / plastic sheet / 1 alloy wheel / 28 angling weights / 9 lures

Handmarks and Milford Haven June 3rd

It was sunshine and breezy conditions as we left the Mackerel Stage at 0800 with plans to meet up with local fisherman at the Bishops. However an 8 second ground swell put pay to plan A and plan B saw 11 volunteer divers spread out over the Handmarks reef in St Brides Bay. A rather gloomy 2 meter viz and no specific locations saw us return to the boat empty handed. Next up came a number of dives at various locations within the Haven after reports from divers and local fishermen of netting and pots.

Handmarks – 11 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = nothing found.

Dakotion Wreck – 2 volunteers – 2-3 metre viz – dive time of 50 mins = 3 metres of monofilament netting stuck on the wreck with 1 dead dog fish and 1 dead wrasse / 1 lost pot and 10 metres of rope.

Caroline – 2 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = nothing found.

Caroline – 2 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 60 mins = 1 whelk pot / 1 diver recall signal flare / 6 weights / 20 lures / 2 handfulls of angling line.

Collier – 3 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins =  1 handfull of angling line.

Milford Haven June 4th

The second day of diving focussed on working with local commercial fisherman saw us target 4 different sites.

Mid Channel Rocks – 9 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins – Released entangled Pink Sea Fan  =  9 weights / 1 hook / 1 x of angling line / 1 lost pot /2 metres of rope / 1 piece of electric cable

West Blockhouse – 2 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 50 mins = 2 weights  / 1 x of angling line / 1 piece of metal / 1 spray can.

West of Lindsway Bay – 2 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 10 lost pots returned to local fisherman.

Behar Wreck – 5 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 1 weight / 4 lost pots / 5 x 10 metres of rope / 20 lures / 2 handfulls of angling line.

Collier – 3 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins =  1 handfull of angling line.

June 11th

The work of NARC was covered by the BBC series, Countryfile on BBC 1.

Stackpole Quay and Barafundle Ledges July 2nd

Another sunny day was beckoning as we departed the Mackerel Stage at 0800 with plans to target angling litter at our well known sites of Stackpole and Barafundle Ledges. The relatively calm weather saw the viz approaching 5 metres at Barafundle and only 1 angler at the site made the first dive of the day a nice one.  Stackpole Quay saw the viz decrease slightly and one buddy pair separate.

Barafundle Ledges – 1o volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins / Released 1 entangled spider crab = 45 weights / 1 spark plug /85 hooks / quarter  sac of line / 2 lures / 6 rod pieces / 1 glass bottle / 3 plastic bottles / 7 cans /2 plastics bits / 1 ash tray / 1 plastic fork / 1 hose pipe piece / 1 rubber pot wrap / 1 disposable BBQ mesh / 1 sock / 1 bandana

Stackpole Quay – 10 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 50 mins / Released 2 entangled spider crabs, 1 Dog Fish with 2 dead entangled dog fish  = 88 weights / 3 spark plugs / 118 hooks / half sac of line / 2 lures / 2 rod pieces / 4 glass bottles / 1 plastic bottle / 1 can / 2 plastic bits / 1 lobster hook / 1 mobile phone / 1 sunglasses / 1 copper pipe / 1 copper nail / 1 electrical cable piece

West Blockhouse and Collier Wreck July 4th

After the previous focus on angling generated litter the aim of the dives in the Haven were for reported lost pots.

West Blockhouse – 2 volunteers – dive time of 45 mins / Released 1 lobster, 4 spider crabs with 2 dead spider crab and 1 dead brown crab = 1 lobster pot

Collier Wreck – 4 volunteers  – dive time of 45 mins / Released 3 lobsters, 1 whelk, 1 Ballan Wrasse = 4 lobsters pots and 40 meters of rope

East Hook July 8th

During a Skomer MCZ fish survey 3 volunteers divers came across a single lobster pot with a detached rope lying on the seabed. It looked like the pot was being used as a single deployment and not part of a larger string. From the number of dead and trapped shellfish and the amount of shell carcasses and debris underneath the pot it is likely that it had been ghost fishing for sometime.

East Hook – 3 volunteers / Released 12 lobsters, 4 of which were missing legs and claws,  17 spider crab, 1 brown crab / 2 dead lobster and 8 dead spider crab = 1 pot

Milford Haven July 18th

World Animal Protection and HTVs Coast and Country joined 7 NARC volunteers to help raise awareness of the work carried out in the region. We

Castle Head West– 2 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins/ Released 5 brown crabs  = 1 pot

North of Dale Point – 2 volunteers – 1 metre viz – dive time of 30 mins/ Released 1 lobster, 10 spider crabs  =  1 pot

East of Lindsway Bay – 2 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 1 piece of netting approx 2m2, 20 metres of rope, 2 pieces of metal

Stack Rock West reef – 7 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = Nothing found

Milford Haven July 19th

7 volunteers headed North towards Ramsey to meet up with local fisherman.

Ynys Eilun – 5 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins / nothing found.

Stack Rock East  – 2 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins / Released 4 brown crab, 5 spider crab, 1 velvet swimming crab, 1 squat lobster, 3 scorpion fish = 3 pots

Great Castle Head/Behar  – 7 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins / Released 10 lobsters, 3 brown crab, , 2 velvet swimming crab with 1 dead lobster = 9 pots / 1 can / 1 shoe / 4 pieces of rubber / 2 metal bits / grinding disc

August 15th

Coast and Country was broadcast on HTV. To view the episode click here.

Ramsey Island August 31st

8 Volunteers, good weather and viz, dived the Bitches with lots of seals. We met up with local fisherman out on the water who had reported a number of lost pots. Although we managed to find 1 pot we could not locate the lost fleet.

Bitches – 5 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins / nothing found

North Ramsey, Bae Ogof Hen – 6 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins / = 1 lost pot

Skomer MCZ and the Haven Sept 1st

10 volunteers left Dale for another visit to Skomer MCZ. Good weather combined with good visibility provided an ideal day of diving.

Low Point – 6 volunteers – 4-5 metre viz – dive time of 55 mins / Released 3 entangled spider crabs, 1 Starry Smoothhound, 1 velvet swimming crab. 2 dead spider crabs were also found.  = 103 weights / 2 bags of line /185 hooks / 2 lobster pots / 8-9 M of rope / 1 glass bottle / 2 cans /1 pickle jar lid

Wooltack Point  – 4 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 52 mins  = 7 weights / 25 hooks / 1 handful of line/ 1 piece of glass/ 1 bottle

Dakotian/ Collier Wreck  – 6 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 50 mins / Released 1 lobster, 3 brown crab and 1 spider crab  = 7 pots /24 weights / 30 hooks / quarter of a bag of line /1 anchor chain and rope / 1 anchor piece / 1 piece of copper / 5M of rope / 1x 0.5M rubber / 6x led pipe / aluminium strip / 0.25mS of mesh monofilament / 1 rubber strip