Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA), funded by Natural England and in collaboration with the University of Brighton and Hastings Fishermen's Protection Society (HFPS), used underwater video footage to inform the seabed habitat near Hastings, including the rMCZ Beachy Head East. Simple underwater video cameras and digital video recorders were given to 9 of the Hastings fishermen under the management of HFPS. When the weather conditions, water visibility and fishing practice allowed, the cameras recorded geo-referenced 5 minute long videos of the seabed. The videos were/will be uploaded onto YouTube and be publicly available. The positions of the videos will be mapped by the University of Brighton. The videos will be viewed by local students using an education pack and ID guide tailored for primary to undergraduate levels. Habitat and biological information will be extracted and mapped. This project, through a participative approach, aimed to deliver a programme of work which enhanced the quality and management of the marine environment off the coast of Hastings. It has supported a better and shared understanding of the marine environment in the shallow coastal seas off the Hastings Coast and facilitated local decision-making to support sustainable fishing, which is better adapted to local context and meeting real needs.
