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Caernarfon Bay Marine Management Project is Sea Watch Foundation’s newest project, set up in 2023.

Our Anglesey Field office is based on the Bodorgan Estate, next to the Cefni Estuary in SW Anglesey, and our aim is to explore models for the involvement of local communities in the management of our coastal seas.

Much of the adjacent area of Caernarfon Bay is currently unprotected but is home to a variety of important marine species which rely on this area such as terns, auks, gannets, bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoise, grey seals, and a diversity of fish and invertebrate species. We are working with local communities and stakeholders to explore options for greater community involvement in the management of this region. We are working with Bangor University and other partners to explore opportunities for habitat restoration within the area, including expansion of seagrass beds; wild oyster bed restoration and the removal of pressures such as ghost fishing gear and disturbance from personal watercraft.

The field office on the Bodorgan Estate hosts residential internships throughout the summer months, training the next generation of marine scientists in survey techniques, data handling, outreach and monitoring including top predator surveys, photo ID, water quality monitoring, shore surveys and catch data from local fisheries.

The project aims to build up an inventory of the species and habitats of the area, as well as those pressures that impact them and by using an experimental approach, determine whether restoration of habitats can lead to improvements in biodiversity across taxa from algae, invertebrates and fish all the way up the food chain to seabirds and marine mammals. We conduct our own research through land and boat-based surveys, and train local groups, communities and visitors to the area to collect their own data through our Sea Watcher recording app. We visit local schools and run field trips to connect children with their local marine environment as well as working with partners such as the North Wales Police to promote the marine code to recreational watercraft users to reduce wildlife disturbance. We work closely with Natural Resources Wales to support their work on local designated sites, specifically Newborough Warren National Nature Reserve, where we have supported two seasonal wardens who engage with the public to reduce litter, wildlife disturbance and fire risk on this ecologically sensitive and nationally important site.

The project is funded by the Bodorgan Estate, the National Heritage Fund, and the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme administered by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA).

Community Engagement

Another exciting new Sea Watch Foundation project operating from our Bodorgan Field Office, based alongside the Cefni Estuary, Ynys Môn. With funding from the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme, administered by the WCVA, Caru’r Cefni sets out to explore and raise awareness of the link between the River Cefni, from its source near Capel Coch in the heart of Ynys Môn, and the local sea – where our teams of interns and marine biologists are busy surveying cetaceans by boat and from the rocky coastline.

Brosiect newydd cyffrous arall gan y Sea Watch Foundation, sy’n gweithredu o’n Swyddfa Maes ym Modorgan, a leolir gerllaw Aber Afon Cefni, Ynys Môn. Gyda chyllid gan Gynllun Cymunedau y Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi, a weinyddir gan Gyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru, mae Caru’r Cefni yn anelu at archwilio Afon Cefni a chodi ymwybyddiaeth o’r cysylltiad sydd rhwng yr afon, o’i ffynhonnell ger Capel Coch yng nghanol Ynys Môn, a’r môr lleol – lle mae timau o interniaid a biolegwyr morol yn gweithio’n brysur mewn cychod ac ar yr arfordir creigiog yn arolygu creaduriaid sy’n perthyn i deulu’r morfil.

Find out more here! Darganfyddwch fwy yma!

Caernarfon Bay’s gently curving coastline provides a shallow shelter from the Irish Sea’s harsh conditions, providing an ideal habitat for all sorts of flora and fauna.  The bay includes a wide variety of different marine habitats including sand dunes, salt marshes, and rocky cliffs. The bay’s waters are very nutrient-rich, attracting an array of marine life from marine mammals to various species of fish. The importance of these habitats has been established by the implementation of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and several Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Caernarfon Bay is home to many different species from all different trophic levels.  The various habitats and sediments make it an ideal place for a wide variety of species from your marine mammals, elasmobranchs, benthic species, and of course a plethora of seabirds. We aim to understand these communities by gathering existing data to explore options for community-led marine management and habitat restoration.

Caernarfon Bay

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

SPP NAME PLEASE

Photo credit: B Llywd

SPP NAME PLEASE

Photo credit: B Llwyd

SPP NAME PLEASE

Photo credit: B Llwyd

Common Guillemot

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Cormorant (left) and Shags (right)

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Atlantic Puffin

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Razorbill

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Manx Shearwater

Photo credit: P Anderwald

Herring Gulls (left) and Gannet (right)

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Arctic Tern

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Sandwich Tern

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Risso’s Dolphin

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Grey Seal

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Common Dolphin

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Harbour Porpoise

Photo credit: PGH Evans / Sea Watch Foundation

Photo identification (Photo ID) is one of the ways that we identify individual dolphins. Specific individuals have nicks, notches, and scratches on their dorsal fins and their bodies from social interactions, hunting, and unfortunately boat strikes. By taking photographs of these, we can identify individuals and keep a record of where they have been, who they have been with, what they have been doing, and ultimately estimate population numbers.

Sirius (098-06W)

Each year, the Sea Watch Foundation seeks Research Interns and a Research and Intern Assistant for the season at its field office on Anglesey, North Wales, to contribute to an exciting citizen science initiative to engage local communities and visitors in observing and recording marine mammals and birds as part of the Caernarfon Bay Marine Management Project.

Bob blwyddyn mae Sea Watch Foundation yn chwilio am Interniaid Ymchwil ac Cynorthwyydd Ymwchil ac Interniaid ar gyfer y tymor yn ei swyddfa maes ar Ynys Môn, Gogledd Cymru, i gymryd rhan mewn menter wyddor dinasyddion gyffrous i ymgysylltu â chymunedau lleol ac ymwelwyr i arsylwi a chofnodi mamaliaid ac adar morol fel rhan o’r prosiect Er Llesiant ein Môr. Gall manylion am y rhaglen ac sut i ymgeisio ei weld yma.

Find out more!

Wedi ei sefydlu yn 2023, Er Llesiant ein Môr yw prosiect mwyaf ddiweddar y Sea Watch Foundation. Mae’r prosiect wedi ei sefydlu ar Ystad Bodorgan wrth ymyl yr Aber Malltraeth yn Ne-Orllewin Ynys Môn gyda’r nôd o ddatblygu model o rheolath cymunedol o ein moroedd arfordirol.  Mae’r rhan fwyaf o Bae Caernarfon ddim o dan unrhyw warchodaeth ac ein nôd yw i ddod a cymunedau arfordirol at ei gilydd i greu partneriaeth fydd yn cymeryd perchnogaeth am yr rheolaeth o’r ardal hon.  Rydym yn cynllunio i adfer cynefinoedd o fewn yr ardal drwy amrywiaeth o weithredoedd: plannu morwellt, efallai’r datblygiad o riffiau ffug, ac yr ailgyflwyno o gwlau cragen gleision neu wystrys. Mae’r prosiect yn rhedeg interniaeth preswyl drwy gydol yr haf, yn hyfforddi’r cenhedlaeth nesaf o wyddonwyr morol mewn technegau arolygon, ymdrin a data, gwaith ymgysylltu a monitro gan gynnwys arolygon o ysglyfaethwyr pennaf, ‘photo-ID’, monitro ansawdd dŵr, arolygon o’r lan a data o ddaliadau gan bysgotwyr lleol.

Nôd y prosiect yw i adeiladu rhestr o’r rhywogaethau a chynefionedd yr adral, yn ogystal a’r pwysedd sy’n ei effeithio ac drwy defnyddio dulliau arbrofol, ceisio darganfod os fydd adferiad o gynefionedd yn gallu dilyn at wellianau o fioamrywiaeth ar draws tacson o alga, infertebratau a pysgod i adar môr ac mamaliaid morol. Yn ystod y prosiect, mi fyddwn cynnal ymchwil ein hunain drwy arolygon o’r lan ac o gwch, ac hybu gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion drwy gynnwys grwpiau lleol, cymunedau, ymwelwyr i’r ardal, ac rhanddeiliaid yn rhan o’r gwaith.  Rydym yn ymweld ag ysgolion lleol i ddiddori’r cenhedlaeth iau am ein cynefinoedd morol yr ardal yn ogystal a gweithio gyda partneriaid fel Heddlu Gogledd Cymru i hybu y côd morol i ddefnyddwyr badau dŵr i leihau amhariad ar fywyd gwyllt.

Rydym yn gweithio yn agos gyda Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru i gymhorthi ei gwaith ar safleoedd dynodedig lleol, yn enwedig Gwarchodfa Natur Cenedlaethol Niwbrwch, ble rydym wedi cefnogi dau Warden Tymhorol sydd yn gweithio gyda’r cyhoedd i leihau ysbwriel, leihau amhariad i fywyd gwyllt ac i leihau risg tân ar yr safle sensetif ecolegol a genedlaethol pwisig yma.

Mae’r prosiect wedi’u arianu gan yr Ystad Bodorgan ac gan yr Cynllun Cymunedau y Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi wedi’u weinyddu gan Cyngor am Gweithred Gwirfoddol Cymru (CGGC).