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The Devon Maritime Forum (DMF) is an independent, non-profit partnership organisation. Its role is to bring together and facilitate communication between the broad and diverse range of marine and coastal stakeholders in Devon and the wider south-west peninsula. The aim of the DMF is to work collectively towards sustainability in our coasts and seas.
We are excited to bring you this edition of the DMF newsletter.
Eleanor Ward │ Coastal Support Officer
Eleanor joined the Devon Maritime Forum team in April 2024. She graduated from Cardiff University in 2023 with a first class honours degree in Marine Geography (BSc). In her role, Eleanor will be helping to co-ordinate the marine element of Devon’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
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Franziska (Anna) Reichert │ Part-time Intern
Anna has been involved with the Devon Maritime Forum since February 2024 as part of a University of Exeter partnership scheme. She is in her final year of studying sustainable business and has a great passion for marine management.
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If you have any news or events which you would like included in the next edition of the DMF e-News, please contact us through our email address:
dmf@devon.gov.uk
Please note that some of the following articles have been sourced externally and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Devon Maritime Forum.
Farewell to Steph!
Earlier this month, our forum coordinator, Stephanie Harper-Chung, left the DMF to move onto a new role at the Environment Agency.
"After fifteen years in the coastal team at Devon County Council, I have made the decision to move on from my role as Devon Maritime Forum Coordinator. Many of you may not remember, but as well as my recent stint as Coordinator, I previously spent three years with the Forum back in 2007. I have truly enjoyed the opportunities that have been offered to me during my time here, including coordination roles for the Coastal Partnerships Network and the Devon Marine Conservation Zone Group, as well as more recently project managing the marine / coastal element of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy. I will miss my role greatly, but I plan to put my experience to good use in my new role within the Estuarine and Coastal Team at the Environment Agency. Hopefully I will see some of you again in the next chapter of my career!"
Stephanie Harper-Chung (July 2024).
We want to thank Steph for her continued support and generous commitment to the forum and wish her the best of luck in her new role.
Eleanor Ward, our coastal support officer, will be responding to any new enquiries in the meantime and supporting the work of the DMF.
Shark Month in Plymouth July 2024
 A partnership between the Shark Trust and Royal William Yard is making waves in Plymouth this summer! This month-long celebration in July invites visitors to support shark conservation while enjoying art, entertainment, and advocacy.
Events include: a captivating art exhibition called 'Oceanic 31', Great White wine tasting, paddle boarding with shark experts, a pub quiz, talks, and even a screening of the iconic film 'Jaws' with a Q and A session featuring the Shark Trust.
Click here to find out more about shark month.
Advances in Marine Ecosystem Modelling Research (AMEMR) Symposium
Monday 8 to Thursday 11 July 2024
The Advances in Marine Ecosystem Modelling Research (AMEMR) Symposium, hosted by the University of Plymouth, takes place from Monday 8 to Thursday 11 July 2024. Researchers, stakeholders, and early career scientists will gather to explore the latest developments in marine ecosystem modelling. This plays a crucial role in understanding marine ecosystems and projecting future environmental states.
The AMEMR symposium series provides a platform to discuss marine modelling challenges, methods, applications, and outcomes.
Click here to find out more about the conference.
 Credit: Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Exmouth Festival
Friday 19 to Sunday 21 July 2024
 Free entry
Join us for the 28th Exmouth Festival, one of the biggest free arts festivals in the South West, held in the seaside town of Exmouth in Devon.
Attendees can enjoy a variety of entertainment, workshops, and family-friendly activities. The festival features live music, theatre, circus performances, craft activities, urban sports and walkabout entertainers as well as a wide range of food and drink vendors.
This year’s Exmouth Festival is focusing on the health of our planet. There will be lots of ways you can help to support efforts, just ask their dedicated ‘Green Team’ who will be on hand to answer questions.
Click here to find out more about Exmouth Festival.
Click here to download the festival app.
Gone Wild Festival
Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 August 2024
 The Gone Wild Festival 2024 is the ultimate family adventure festival held at Powderham Castle in Devon.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Over 100 activities for the whole family, including science workshops, raft building, outdoor fitness, circus skills, and many more.
- Musicians and inspirational speakers to keep you entertained.
- Weekend tickets include camping, so you can enjoy the outdoors with your loved ones.
Tickets are selling out fast, click here to book now.
Shoresearch Volunteer Survey
Join Devon Wildlife Trust’s Wembury Marine Centre for a Shoresearch Survey at Wembury Beach and make a valuable contribution to marine ecosystem monitoring.
Participants will explore Wembury Beach whilst learning how to identify and record marine life within the intertidal zone.
The project will aid understanding in marine pollution, climate change, and invasive species. If you are interested, check out these upcoming dates:
This event is primarily aimed at those with an interest in intertidal marine life identification and surveying. The events will be weather dependent.
Please remember to wear sturdy boots and dress appropriately for the weather.
If you are planning to attend, please meet outside Wembury Marine Centre (PL9 0HP) just before midday.
Click here to get involved in a shoresearch survey.
Is climate change threatening UK coastal waters?
A recent study conducted by scientists from various UK and Irish institutions has revealed that climate change significantly exacerbated the marine heatwaves experienced in June 2023 in the coastal waters of northwest Europe.
Seawater temperatures in Devon were significantly higher last year (2023), and data collected this year (2024) is showing similar results.
Dr Juliane Wihsgott, a digital oceanographer and co-author of the study, said “Using autonomous robots has enabled us to collect high-resolution in-situ data within the hotspots of the June 2023 marine heatwave in the northern North Sea. This has helped us look beyond the sea surface and understand the impacts of the marine heatwave on the whole water column.”
Don't let flash flooding rain on your parade this summer
 Click here to watch Mollie’s family respond to a flash flood on their holiday.
Summer holidays: the long-awaited and much anticipated holiday period that many plan for in advance. Sunscreens are slathered, ice creams are consumed in record speeds and parents tirelessly pack all the summer holiday necessities. Knowing that the British weather cannot always be relied upon to bring cloudless blue skies, we often plan for all scenarios. However, there is one scenario that we don’t usually expect during the summer - flash flooding.
We tend to associate stormy weather with winter months, but thanks to our changing climate, we can expect to experience more intense summer rainfall more frequently in coming years. Many of the most extreme rainfalls in the United Kingdom have occurred in the southwest of England between the months of June and August. In these months, warm southerly air flow hits mountainous terrain, increasing chances of unstable weather. When a significant amount of heavy rain falls in a short period of time, steep fast-flowing rivers and urban drainage cannot cope, leading to deep, fast-moving water. There are 76 ‘Rapid Response Catchment’ drainage areas in Devon and Cornwall, which include watercourses that respond very quickly to heavy rainfall.
Flash floods can happen anywhere (e.g. far away from rivers and the sea), and even in areas that have not flooded before or flooded for a long time. They can also happen on clear and sunny days when a storm has struck higher ground. They are very difficult to predict as they are often caused by sudden, heavy rainfall in specific areas, rather than widespread rainfall across a larger region. This means that, unlike other types of weather events, flooding can happen before flood warnings can be issued by the Environment Agency. These floods can cause danger to life due to the depth and speed of the water, along with how quickly water levels can rise.
Tourists are especially vulnerable to the dangers of flash flooding, as they are less likely to be familiar with the local area (and flood hotspots) and often stay in tents and caravans which cannot withstand the force of rapidly moving water. This summer, the Environment Agency are sharing an animation in tourist hotspots across Devon and Cornwall, to improve awareness of the dangers of flash flooding and reduce risk to life.
Knowing the warning signs of flash flooding can help you to stay safe:
Heavy rain and/or severe weather reports
- Quickly rising river levels, with dark churning water
- Rainfall building up in urban areas (and not draining away)
- Debris build-up in rivers, leading to a surge of water
Being prepared can help you to respond quickly and calmly:
Marine Citizenship Film
More and more, people are talking about marine citizenship, but what is it? This two minute film has been created to explain the basics of marine citizenship. It is based on academic research from the University of Exeter and developed in partnership with the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, Plymouth City Council, and the Ocean Conservation Trust.
Marine citizens want to make a difference to the sea, so we take action. Marine citizens get involved in making decisions for the benefit of everyone. Marine citizens inspire others and bring them into their community to create positive change. As marine citizens we participate in transforming the relationship humans have with the sea.
Click here to watch the short film.
 Credits:
- Based upon research by Dr Pamela Buchan of University of Exeter, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
- Co-created with Elaine Hayes (PSNMP CEO), Patrick Knight (Plymouth City Council) and Nicola Bridge (Ocean Conservation Trust).
- Directed by Temujen Gunawardena.
- Artwork by Jess Balla.
- Edited by Badj Whipple.
- Sound by Jonah Brody.
Calling all UK outdoor swimmers
 Researchers are recruiting wild swimmers, surfers and paddlers to participate in studies focused on protecting people from pollution health risks.
University of Exeter scientists are working on the Poo-Stick project for wild swimmers in rivers and the BlueAdapt scheme for those who go in the sea. Swimmers are encouraged to invite non-swimmers of similar age and gender to take part so that they can compare their responses to bacteria.
"This research is timely as we are seeing a steep increase in antibiotic-resistant infections and is of particular concern given the increased attention the quality of our river and coastal water is currently receiving."
Professor Will Gaze (2024).
If you would like to get involved, you can sign up using the links below:
Water Quality Fund
180 local projects across England will share £11.5 million in government support to clean up lakes and rivers, protect communities from flooding, and plant thousands of trees.
It is hoped that this fund will provide additional protection and improvement of 300 kilometres of rivers and the restoration and creation of around 160 hectares of inland and coastal waters.
In addition to this funding, recent government initiatives have included:
- Investment:
- A £60 billion investment over 25 years aims to revamp aging assets and reduce sewage spills.
- A Water Restoration Fund to redirect water company fines into projects that protect and improve rivers, lakes, and streams.
- Farmers Support:
- £74 million is available to help farmers invest in improved slurry infrastructure, addressing water pollution, air quality, and nutrient use.
- River Wye Preservation:
- A new plan allocates up to £35 million in funding to better protect and preserve the River Wye for future generations.
- Regulation and Monitoring:
- The Environment Agency quadrupled water company inspections, aiming for 4,000 inspections by the end of the financial year.
- 100% of storm overflows are now monitored in England.
- 27 new bathing water sites have been designated and will be monitored.
- Enforcement:
- Water bosses will be banned from receiving bonuses if a company commits serious criminal breaches.
- The cap on civil penalties for environmental offenses has been removed.
- A new portal facilitates safe reporting of environmental wrongdoing by water companies.
Click here to find out more about the fund.
Landmark agreement for ocean research and exploration
Two major international marine initiatives have signed a landmark agreement to work together on ocean research and exploration, with the ultimate aim of mapping the entire global seabed.
Challenger 150 (which coordinates a global effort to map life in the deep-sea) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, a global initiative dedicated to inspiring and coordinating the global effort to map the entire ocean floor by the end of the decade.
Click here to find out more about the agreement.
Microplastics in plastic and non-stick cookware
 A new collaborative study from scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, SALT Lofoten and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) has shown that plastic and non-stick cookware can release microplastics into food during food preparation.
The results show that both new and old plastic and non-stick cookware is likely to add thousands of microplastics into the human diet each year.
Click here to access the full report.
The Blue Planet Fund
 The Blue Planet Fund is a £500 million UK programme supporting developing countries in marine environment protection and poverty reduction. It is financed by the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget and part of the international climate finance efforts.
Approximately 3 billion people worldwide rely on the ocean for food security and livelihoods, especially in developing nations. The fund focuses on biodiversity, climate change, marine pollution, and sustainable seafood.
The aim is to establish and sustainably manage marine protected areas (MPAs) and Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs) across six priority regions: South and Southeast Asia, West Africa, East Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Pacific.
The Blue Planet Fund aligns with the UK’s commitment to protect at least 30% of global oceans by 2030 and to tackle plastic pollution.
Click here to find out more about the blue planet fund.
New licences for oil and gas exploration fail to consider our climate crisis
Oceana UK is taking legal action against the government due to concerns about the impact of recent oil and gas exploration licenses in UK waters. The charity argues that issuing these licenses was unlawful for several reasons.
Oceana UK have initiated a judicial review process, challenging the decision to award 82 licenses for exploratory drilling operations, with over a third overlapping with Marine Protected Areas (MPA).
Click here to find out more about Oceana's action.
Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. Please get in touch if you have any questions relating to any of the articles above.
Contact us
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07929 877371 |
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Devon Maritime Forum, c/o Devon County Council, Room 120, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD |
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