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Blue Hope Alliance
Home
Who We Are
Events
Archive
Survey Reports
Survey Highlights
Newsletters
Adopt a Bay
News
Job Openings
Resources
Contact Us
Home
Who We Are
Events
Archive
Survey Reports
Survey Highlights
Newsletters
Adopt a Bay
News
Job Openings
Resources
Contact Us
Celebrating 10 years of citizen science maerl surveys with The Blue Hope Alliance Maerl Report by Prof. J Hall Spencer
Sara Nason 5/21/26 Sara Nason 5/21/26

Celebrating 10 years of citizen science maerl surveys with The Blue Hope Alliance Maerl Report by Prof. J Hall Spencer

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Exploring the Depths: A Photo story of Maerl & Citizen Science Survey, May 2024
Sara Nason 7/10/24 Sara Nason 7/10/24

Exploring the Depths: A Photo story of Maerl & Citizen Science Survey, May 2024

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Revitalising Maerl Beds: The Blue Hope Alliance's 2023 Survey Expedition
Sara Nason 6/23/24 Sara Nason 6/23/24

Revitalising Maerl Beds: The Blue Hope Alliance's 2023 Survey Expedition

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Loch Torridon Maerl Survey
Sara Nason 9/12/23 Sara Nason 9/12/23

Loch Torridon Maerl Survey

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Dr Rohan Holt’s Report on Survey Highlights
Guest User 12/9/22 Guest User 12/9/22

Dr Rohan Holt’s Report on Survey Highlights

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2021/09/11 Horse Island Maerl bed Summer Isles
Sara Nason 11/13/22 Sara Nason 11/13/22

2021/09/11 Horse Island Maerl bed Summer Isles

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2021/04/2021 Gairloch Herring Spawning Shoot
Sara Nason 11/12/22 Sara Nason 11/12/22

2021/04/2021 Gairloch Herring Spawning Shoot

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2020/09/26 Andy Jackson Memorial Survey Loch Carron Maerl bed
Guest User 11/12/22 Guest User 11/12/22

2020/09/26 Andy Jackson Memorial Survey Loch Carron Maerl bed

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2019/09/24 Flapper Skate and Maerl Transects
Guest User 11/11/22 Guest User 11/11/22

2019/09/24 Flapper Skate and Maerl Transects

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2019/09/23 Planet Rock Maerl Transect
Sara Nason 11/10/22 Sara Nason 11/10/22

2019/09/23 Planet Rock Maerl Transect

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2019/08/28 Planet Rock Maerl and Flame Shell Nests
Guest User 11/9/22 Guest User 11/9/22

2019/08/28 Planet Rock Maerl and Flame Shell Nests

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2019/07/28 Dredge damage, Summer Isles Eilean Dubh
Sara Nason 11/8/22 Sara Nason 11/8/22

2019/07/28 Dredge damage, Summer Isles Eilean Dubh

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2018/11/07 Illegal Scallop Dredgers inside Gairloch Protected Area
Sara Nason 11/7/22 Sara Nason 11/7/22

2018/11/07 Illegal Scallop Dredgers inside Gairloch Protected Area

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2018/09/22-29 Flame Shells Loch Broom
Guest User 11/6/22 Guest User 11/6/22

2018/09/22-29 Flame Shells Loch Broom

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2018/09/22-29 Maerl Beds
Guest User 11/6/22 Guest User 11/6/22

2018/09/22-29 Maerl Beds

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2018/09/22-29 Unusual Sea Cucumbers
Sara Nason 11/6/22 Sara Nason 11/6/22

2018/09/22-29 Unusual Sea Cucumbers

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2018/09/22-29 The Ring of Bright Seaweed
Guest User 11/6/22 Guest User 11/6/22

2018/09/22-29 The Ring of Bright Seaweed

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2018/06/08 Reiff Kelp and Andy’s Octopus
Guest User 11/5/22 Guest User 11/5/22

2018/06/08 Reiff Kelp and Andy’s Octopus

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2018/06/05 Tanera Beg Sea Hares
Guest User 11/5/22 Guest User 11/5/22

2018/06/05 Tanera Beg Sea Hares

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2018/06/02 Horse Island Maerl Bed
Guest User 11/5/22 Guest User 11/5/22

2018/06/02 Horse Island Maerl Bed

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Home Image Credit: Smithsonian Museum

The National Lottery Heritage Fund Grant

The Blue Hope Alliance has launched “Scotland's Hidden Reefs: Saving Maerl, Herring and Underwater Ecosystems through Citizen Science, Advocacy and Storytelling” a three-year marine restoration project. Launched in 2026, the project celebrates our marine heritage in stories, surveys, films and events throughout the Northwest Highlands and is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s support. 

In September 2026 we will host a Maerl-Herring Festival in the Summer Isles to mark 10 years on from the creation of the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area (MPA) – the largest ‘Maerl’ MPA in the world.  At the project’s heart is our groundbreaking report by Professor Jason Hall Spencer on 10 years of citizen science maerl surveying. The report advocates for urgent action working with Government agencies to achieve ecosystem restoration.

Thanks to National Lottery players a community engagement officer will support activity with local people, business and visitors. The project will launch the first community-owned open source, underwater citizen science survey archive in the UK, curated by a marine scientist. We will upscale our survey evidence monitoring, working with the MV Honeydew dive boat science team, to share our discoveries, evidence gathering, and inspire others to engage with and understand the scale and beauty of our underwater habitats. (We do still have significant further fundraising goals to achieve – see below for details)

 We will encourage and enable communities and marine groups of the northwest to come together to rebuild our relationship with the sea. To protect, restore and caretake our coastal heritage together. Inspired by the relationships indigenous peoples around the world share with nature, as well as Highland traditions, the project will rebuild connection to nature, and inspire our coastal communities to return this relationship to the very heart of our way of life. Our ‘network for nature’ encourages the sharing of knowledge, resources and talents in recognition of the fact that all species and people make up the web of life. 

 The Blue Hope Alliance is very grateful to all our supporter and funders including The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the North & West Fishery Board. To achieve our goals we must meet a further fundraising target of around £10,000 a year, please get in touch to find out more about how you can support Scotland’s Hidden Reefs.  (Herring photo by Andy Jackson)

Highlands & Islands Environment Foundation

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