Press Release

WATCH OUT... THERE MAY BE MARINE LIFE ABOUT!

24 August 2006

A new East Anglican marine wildlife viewing station has opened with the help of The Crown Estate – with sightings already reported! Situated on the Suffolk coast between Southwold and Aldeburgh, the Dunwich Heath Sea Watch Centre was officially opened on 15 August 2006. Situated on National Trust land, the new facility operates under the auspices of the Sea Watch Foundation.

The Crown Estate contribution was made through the Marine Stewardship Fund. Established at the end of the 1990s, the aim of the fund is to provide support to local initiatives which integrate with and contribute to the good management of the marine estate. In the eight years since its inception over £1 million has been allocated to a wide range of practical projects around the coast.

The Dunwich Heath facility includes such features as telescopes, binoculars and marine life identification charts. Importantly local volunteers have also been trained by the Sea Watch Foundation to correctly identify the marine life they see; in particular the local whales, dolphins, porpoise and seals. Regular reports on what has been seen by visitors and volunteers will be fed into the Sea Watch Foundation and the databases of the Suffolk Biological Research Centre.

This viewing point will provide a great resource for wildlife watchers – within five days of opening there were already sightings of harbour porpoises!

Dr Carolyn Heeps, Head of Offshore and Environment at The Crown Estate, attended the opening of the new facility.  She said: “I am very pleased that The Crown Estate is working in partnership with the National Trust, Sea Watch and local volunteers to record sightings of local marine wildlife, especially whales and dolphins. This is now the third coastal lookout supported by the Marine Stewardship Fund. The data coming forward is enabling us to find out much more about the marine environment and highlights the importance of good management.”

The site at Dunwich Heath is owned by the National Trust, and it hosts many military structures from the Second World War. It is one these that the Sea Watch Foundation, with support from The Crown Estate and other funders, has developed into a marine wildlife viewing station.

For further details on the Marine Stewardship Fund please follow the link.