Dangerous Habitats

Why are Cornwall’s coastal species under threat?

Historically, much of Cornwall’s population made their livelihoods from fishing. In recent decades, though, overfishing has increasingly become a problem - due in large part to technical advances and the international arrival of larger commercial boats. Pollution, from plastic to ghost nets to oil spills, is another significant hazard, as is climate change. Then, of course, there are even more direct effects from the world’s deadliest creature...humans. Tourism harms species in a number of ways, from habitat destruction to breeding disruption to boating accident.

Fishing is not really a hazard to marine life: human species have been consuming fish as a sustainable food source for millennia. What is a threat is overfishing: removing massive quantities of fish faster than they can replenish their populations. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that 1 of every 3 fisheries are being exploited beyond what they can sustain. Learn about the various fishing methods that are causing this problem through the video below from the National Lobster Hatchery. If desired, you can learn more about threats to fishstocks in Cornwall from the longer video by Cornwall Climate Care.

Most of us have heard about ocean debris; the campaign against plastic straws has been particularly effective in raising awareness about the issue (though the campaign isn’t as inclusive as it should be, from an environmental justice perspective). Cornwall has a few specific issues when it comes to marine pollution: a shipping container spill that resulted in millions of loose Lego pieces; commercial fishing interests that frequently leave ghost gear behind; and a history as home to one of the world’s worst oil spills.

In addition to the multiple human-caused issues discussed above, direct interactions between individual people and marine creatures can lead to devastating consequences. Careless boat drivers can hit sea animals mid-swim; loud tourists frequently startle sunbathing seals - and being scared into the water might mean being scared into a predator’s jaws or a deadly current. Erosion and other forms of land degradation hasten habitat loss, while tourist-flooded beaches reduce the space available for seals and other sea creatures to breed and raise their young in peace. Browse the resources below to learn more about the impacts of human activity on marine wildlife. You can also read the Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s 2021 report on “Marine and Coastal Wildlife Disturbance in Cornwall”.