Looe
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Looe is home to one of the largest seagrass meadows in the southwest, stretching from Hannafore to Millendreath. This extensive bed is located within the Looe and Whistsand Bay Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) and covers approximately 110 hectares (1.1km2) of subtidal Zostera marina, an area equivalent to 157 football pitches!
Designated in 2013, the MCZ recognises the exceptional marine biodiversity within the area. It protects species such as the rare pink sea fan and the stalked jellyfish, a tiny and nationally rare invertebrate that is one of the key features of the site’s designation. Seagrass meadows are another key feature of this designation, and as such they are regularly monitored, and the health of these habitats is directly linked to the overall success of the MCZ. These meadows support a wide variety of marine life including both ecologically and commercially important species. Cuttlefish, bass, pollack, scallops, European plaice and crabs are commonly found within these meadows and support Looe’s active fishing fleet.
Looe is also an important site for seagrass seed collection, enabling Blue Meadows to restore these habitats at scale across the southwest. Every Autumn thousands of seed pods, known as spathes are collected across donor meadows after the plants have flowered, and transported back to our National Seagrass Nursery.
Blue Meadows is actively working to protect these vital habitats in Looe in partnership with Looe Harbour Commissioners. This includes deployment our Sensitive Habitat Marker Buoys to indicate the presence of seagrass and promote a Voluntary No Anchor Zone (VNAZ), helping to prevent anchor damage. Advanced Mooring Systems have also been installed to reduce seabed impact by minimising the physical footprint of moorings in sensitive areas.
Help us create Blue Meadows
If you’d like to find out more about seagrass, or our protection and restoration work, then we would love to hear from you.
