Angela Gall

Finding the unfindable: BBC films Natural England's dive team on Cornwall's ancient seabed after the discovery of a new seaweed species

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Habitat, Marine environment, Natural England, Nature Recovery, Science and evidence, Wildlife
The extensive healthy maerl bed in the Fal Estuary, taken by Natural England divers on the day of filming. Credit Angela Gall - Natural England

By Angela Gall - Marine Senior Officer, Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Area Team Off the south coast of Cornwall, in the cold, clear water, lie some of England's least-known natural treasures: the maerl beds. Earlier this summer, our …

Protecting one of England's rarest marine habitats: Natural England's work on maerl

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Evidence, Marine environment, Monitoring, Natural England, Nature
Maerl researcher and academic Professor Jason Hall-Spencer showing Phumatolithon calcareum maerl. Credit Matt Slater

By Angela Gall, Marine Senior Officer Hidden beneath the waves along the south coast of Cornwall lies an ancient marine habitat, maerl beds. These pink, twiglet-shaped rhodoliths are free-living, calcified red seaweeds forming intricate, three-dimensional structures on the seabed. They're …