Once stretching 40km along the Sussex coast, kelp beds provided vital habitat for marine life, improved water quality, protected the coastline, and stored carbon. Today, only 4% remain due to trawling, dredging, storms, and sedimentation. In 2021, the Sussex IFCA introduced the Nearshore Trawling Bylaw, banning bottom-towed fishing gear across 300km² to help restore kelp. This led to the Sussex Kelp Restoration Project (SKRP), a collaborative effort focused on research, community engagement, and removing barriers to recovery. High sediment levels were identified as a key threat, and SKRP is now investigating causes and solutions to enable long-term kelp restoration.
Is the EU on track to achieve 30 per cent protection of its waters by 2030?
New report by Blue Marine assesses the EU’s progress towards protecting 30 per cent of its waters by 2030 and provides recommendations to EU stakeholders.
05 February 2026
