Dale – May
NARC volunteers spent the day filming for a 4 part series due to air in the autumn, BBC Cymru Wales has announced its most ambitious natural history series to date with a celebration of the unique underwater world off the Welsh coast. Currently under the working title of Wonders Of The Celtic Deep. There will be a piece on Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Cleaners and the work we do to help keep our Welsh waters clear of rubbish so generations to come can enjoy our sea’s. Here are a few teaser photo’s taken on the day. So keep an eye out in the autumn for more information.
Skomer MCZ – June 3rd
Departed Dale with 8 volunteers.
Wooltack Point – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 sac / 1 tyre / 10 angling weights / 6 hooks 4m x 2.5m of netting found on reef.
Low Point – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 28 weights / 23 hooks / 100 metres of monofilament line / 1 can / 1 bottle. Animals released = 1 spider crab.
Soldier Rock – 2 volunteers – 1 metre viz – 1 lobster pot. Animals released = 2 spider crab.
Chapel Bay – 4 volunteers – 1 metre – 2 lobster pots / Animals released = 6 spider crab / 1 lobster.
Collier Wreck – 3 volunteers – 1 meter viz – 2 lobster pots / 1 prawn pot / Animals released = 2 spider crab / 1 lobster / 1 brown crab.
Tusker Rock & Milford Haven – June 4
8 volunteers.
Mill Bay – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 10 lobster pots. Animals released = 3 brown crab / 1 lobster / 16 spider crab.
Castlehead – 5 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 9 lobster pots. Animals released = 12 spider crab / 1 Ballan Wrasse / 4 scorpion fish
Ramsey Island and Milford Haven Waterway – June 19
8 volunteers headed out to look for pots reported by local fishers.
Dale Fort – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 12 angling weights / copper cable / 1 glass bottle / 1 pint glass / 1 keep pot.
Castle Head– 4 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 lobster pot / 6 plastic cable pieces / metal cable / fibreglass pieces. Animals released = 5 spider crabs.
Ramsey Wrecks – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 angling weight.
Stack Rocks – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 part of lobster pot.
Milford Haven Waterway – June 20
8 volunteers working with local fishers.
West Blockhouse – 2 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 3 lobster pots / 3 pot boys / 200 mtetres of rope . Animals released = 2 Lobsters / 1 Spider Crab.
The Thor Wreck – 4 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 fuel filter / 20 metres of rope.
West Angle Bay – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 lobster pots / 1 end weight / 1 buoy / 30 metres of rope. Animals released = 1 Lobsters / 3 spider crabs.
Hobbs Point – June 24
As part of the Western Eco Tour NARC dived with 16 volunteers at Hobbs Point.
Hobbs Point – 16 volunteers – 2 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 shopping trolley / 1 large keep net / 1 small mesh keep bag / 14 angling weights / 12 hooks / 2 spark plugs / 1 battery / 1 mobile phone / 100 metres of angling line / ceramic plates / 2 drink cans / 4 green drums / 1 scooter.
St Brides Bay July 17
10 volunteers.
Caerbwdy – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 2 metres or rope
The Cradle – 5 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 bottle top
Soldier Rock – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = Nothing found
Collier – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 mug
Skomer MCZ & Milford Haven Waterway – July 18
10 volunteers working with local fishers
Wooltack Point – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 28 weights / 13 hooks / 2 cans / broken rod tip / 50 metres of line /
West Hook – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 14 weights / 9 hooks
Butts Bay – 2 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 2 lobster pots
Castlehead – 2 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 4 lobster pots
Stack Fort – 4 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 3 lobster pots
Animals released = 1 spider crab / 2 lobsters / 1 velvet swimming crab
Ramsey Island and East Hook – August 2
10 volunteers
Moseley Wreck – 2 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 60 mins = 1 lobster pot. Animals released = 2 lobsters. Animals deceased 2 wrasse
Juncos Rock – 4 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = Nothing Found
East Hook– 3 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = 32 weights / 8 hooks / 1 rod and reel.
Pilot Boat Wreck– 4 volunteers – 0 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = Lost pots found and doors opened to stop ghost fishing, could not be retrived due to silt and bad conditions.
Castlehead– 5 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 3 lobster pots / 55 metres of rope. Animals released = 2 lobsters / 1 velvet swimming crab.
Skokholm and Skomer MCZ – August 3
8 volunteers.
Skokholm SE Pinnacles – 4 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = Located string of missing pots but did not lift.
Paris Rock – 3 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = Nothing found
Garland Stone – 2 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 5 pots. Animals released = 9 lobsters / 14 velvet swimming crab / 88 spider crab / 9 brown crab.
Landing Bay – 7 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 40 mins = Nothing found
Milford Haven Waterway – August 19
8 volunteers and media crew.
Chapel Bay – 3 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 230 metres of rope
Chapel Bay – 3 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 2 lobster pots / 1 can / 1 black bag. Animals released = 3 lobsters / 2 velvet swimming crab / 6 spider crab / 7 brown crab / 1 conger ell / 3 wrasse
Behar– 3 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 coil of plastic coated cable (15 metres)
Collier – 3 volunteers – 3 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 1 lobster pots / 1 can / 2 bottles
Solva / Hen & Chicks – September 4
8 volunteers. Report of inkwell pots and lifted over 2 days. 9 on first day and 8 on the second day.
Solva/Caer Bwdy/Green Scar – 8 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = Nothing found
Hen & Chicks (Stack Rock) – 6 volunteers – 4 metre viz – dive time of 50 mins = 9 Inkwell Pots / 300 metres of rope. Animals released = 21 spider crab / 2 brown crab / 13 Velvet swimming crabs / 1 Conger Eel /
Hen & Chicks / Low Point – September 5
8 volunteers.
Low Point – 5 volunteers – 6 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 32 hooks / 400 metres of angling line / 1 can / 2 spark plugs / 1 torch
Hen & Chicks – 2 volunteers – 6 metre viz – dive time of 30 mins = 1 angling weight / 1 hook / 2 metres of angling line / 1 lobster pot. Animals released = 1 spider crab
Stack Rock – 3 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 8 remaining Inkwell pots from 4th september/ 15 metres of rope and bouy. Animals released = 45 spider crab / 1 brown crab
Sleepy Cove / Behar Reef – 3 volunteers – 5 metre viz – dive time of 45 mins = 3 lobster pots / 250 metres of rope. Animals released = 2 lobster / 7 spider crab / 5 brown crabb / 1 bull huss
2021 totals
We dived at X dive sites with over X hrs of dive time. We recovered almost X kilometers of monofilament angling line; X lead weights; over X hooks; almost x metres of rope and over X lobster pots.
We released over X lobsters, crabs, and entangled fish species.
Other activities in 2021
Distributed copies of the site specific tackle tips leaflets which have underwater maps and site specific advice for Stackpole and Skomer MNR
Continue to contribute to the International network on ghost fishing, GGGI and became a working group member to exchange knowledge on worldwide solutions
National coverage of marine litter to include work with Sky Ocean Rescue and Sky News, the Telegraph, Daily Mail
