We are raising money for the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project via the Sussex Wildlife Trust because we swim in Sussex waters year round. The return of kelp beds to our oceans will restore the diverse marine ecosystem that once thrived in Sussex and beyond.

Vast kelp beds once supported a wondrous diversity of marine life. Kelp absorbs carbon, filters the water and protects the coast from storms. By the mid-1980s, 96% of Sussex kelp had disappeared due to over fishing and the great storm of 1987.

Sussex Kelp Recovery's vision is the recovery of kelp and other essential fish habitats at scale in Sussex to support a thriving and sustainable marine ecosystem that benefits nature, fisheries, coastal communities and our planet.

The journey to kelp recovery started with the Sussex Nearshore Trawling Byelaw. In March 2021, this pioneering legislation created one of the largest trawling prohibited areas in the UK.

At the same time, the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project was formed to champion, study and facilitate the return of kelp through progressive and coherant and collaborative action. The intention is to replicate this pioneering project around the UK coastline.