This is an update on the Dale Seagrass Project from the Project Seagrass team:
Licencing Renewal
The licence for restoration has been extended until 30 September 2030. The license includes a 100m westward extension of the original restoration area. Thank you for the support from the community surrounding this.
Marker Buoys
As a result of the extension of the restoration area, we will be installing additional marker buoys to mark the extended licence area. Stickers will also be replaced on the existing marker buoys.
Visitor Moorings
Project Seagrass have shared social media content surrounding the Visitor Moorings at Dale including making people aware they can donate towards the upkeep of the moorings.
Dale Spot and Plant Event
In March, 300 seagrass plants were planted at Dale as part of ongoing restoration efforts. These were planted as part of a community ‘Spot and Plant’ event. Over 50 volunteers joined us for the event – thank you to everyone who supported this planting.
In addition to the planting, we also made use of the SeagrassSpotter citizen science app to explore the beach and collect data points of seagrass patches which reside outside the restoration area. 56 points were uploaded to SeagrassSpotter highlighting just how much seagrass has spread across the Bay.
Dale Fort Field Studies Council and Sea Trust Wales hosted stalls at the event alongside local artist Rhiannon Rees who delivered a creative session using items found on the beach to create sculptures with a personal note inside with a message left for the Dale seagrass.
Early monitoring of the transplants has been positive with 280 transplants still in place, and eggs already found amongst the blades.
Freediving Planting
In April 2025, we worked with Pembrokeshire Marine SAC, Pembrokeshire Freediving Club, Celtic Deep, and Windswept Watersports to undertake further seagrass planting efforts in Dale. This was the first use of freedivers to plant seagrass in the UK. 150 transplants, which had been prepared at our Seagrass Nursery in Laugharne, were planted out in Dale. The trial was part of a seasonality test, replicating transplanting efforts from September 2024. Our future monitoring will allow us to compare the success of autumn vs. spring planting.
Dale Fort Field Studies Council
Stakeholder Engagement Officer at Project Seagrass delivered a talk with Marine Science Campers at Dale Fort Field Studies Council.
Fishing Survey
We are continuing to gather the thoughts of local fishers and seafood gatherers through our Fishing and Seagrass survey. Seagrass meadows provide habitats for numerous species like cod, plaice, and pollock. The survey aims to identify sites to bring seagrass back to our coasts to support sustainable seafood and recreational fishing. Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the survey so far. Please share with interested parties: https://ow.ly/UqYh50VQO4Y
Thank you for your continued support of seagrass restoration and conservation in Dale!