The Wildlife Trust's North Sea Wildlife Project

All scaled up and ready for London

Northumberland Wildlife Trust
4 July 2011

A recycled plastic seahorse complete with silver scales has caused great excitement at Northumberland Wildlife Trust this week.
The large blue seahorse was waved off on its travels around the Region three weeks ago by Gosforth schoolgirl Georgina Moroney and Steve Lowe Head of Conservation at the Trust. 

At the launch, it was hoped that the seahorse, which was scheduled to take in every Northumberland Wildlife Trust event this summer, would return by the end of August covered in signatures, written on silver scales to show the public’s support of a new scheme aimed at protecting the North East coast as promised in the 2009 Marine and Coastal Access Act (MCAA).

The wildlife charity feels very strongly that the coalition needs to know that it cannot back down on the promise made by the previous government to create a number of Marine Protected Areas around the UK, including the North Sea; marine issues should not be swept under the carpet or diluted in any way.

Amazingly, within three weeks the seahorse has returned to Gosforth full off signed silver scales, over 250 in total sending a clear message to the coalition that the people of the Region do not want marine issues to be swept under the carpet or diluted in any way.  Each signature is helping to ensure that the North Sea becomes a “Living Sea” once again, rather than one that is slowly dying.
The seahorse will head southwards to London where it will presented the Secretary of State for the Environment, Caroline Spelman at the end of August.

Commenting on the phenomenal success of the seahorse campaign,Steve Lowe, Head of Conservation at Northumberland Wildlife Trust said:

“Talk about people power! As with the whole selling-off of the forests issue earlier in the year, people throughout the Region are sending a clear message down to Whitehall  - they care about what happens to the Region in which they live and that they will stand up for the wildlife living there.”


Ends

Notes to Editors
Northumberland Wildlife Trust

Northumberland Wildlife Trust is the largest environmental charity in the
region working to safeguard native wildlife. One of 47 Wildlife Trusts across the UK, Northumberland Wildlife Trust has campaigned for nature conservation for over 40 years. It aims to inform, educate and involve people of all ages and backgrounds in protecting their environment in favour of wildlife and conservation.

Supported by over 13,000 individual and 100 corporate members in the region, Northumberland Wildlife Trust manages and protects critical species and habitats at over 60 nature reserves throughout Newcastle,
North Tyneside and Northumberland.

Media Contact:
Fiona Dryden, Communications Officer
Tel: (0191) 284 6884
Email: fiona.dryden@northwt.org.uk