Some excellent news from the Sussex Wildlife Trust’s Help Our Kelp project – The Near Shore Trawling Byelaw has been announced!

This means that trawling is now excluded from a vast area of 304 square kilometres of Sussex coastline all year-round! With this area now protected, it is hoped that the kelp will start to recover to its former density and range, bringing with it the wide range of benefits to people and wildlife that a healthy kelp forest ecosystem provides.

News of the byelaw was announced by the Sussex IFCA on 22nd March.

You can read the blog by Tor Lawrence, Chief Executive of Sussex Wildlife Trust, about the announcement.

And do visit the SWT Help Our Kelp page to watch the inspiring film which started the partnership, and to learn more about the project. SWT also plan to hold a series of related webinars – so do remember to check their online events page for details.

If anyone missed the excellent webinar about Help Our Kelp and would like to see it on SWT’s Catch-Up, here is the link: https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/catch-up

If you didn’t already know the true value of kelp and what the new bylaw will bring to Sussex, you certainly will after watching this!