Basking shark

Leatherback turtle

Blue jellyfish

Fanshell

Pink sea fan

Seeing marine wildlife such as sharks and turtles is a truly exciting experience - and reporting your sightings will help MCS learn where these rare and endangered creatures occur in UK seas, and hence support our work to protect them. We would like to hear from you if you see any of these creatures:

• Basking sharks (report online)
• Marine turtles (report online)
• Jellyfish (report online)
• Fanshells
• Pink sea fans

Click on the above links to report online your sightings of basking sharks, marine turtles and jellyfish. All sightings can be reported by phoning MCS on 01989 566017 or by filling in freepost sighting forms (available free from MCS), but please report basking sharks, marine turtles and jellyfish online if possible.

For more information about particular species and our work on them, click the appropriate image on the right of this webpage. All (except jellyfish) are UK BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) priority species because of their rare and/or endangered status, and MCS is lead partner for each of these BAPs. It is therefore important that we collect as much information about their occurence as possible.

Dedicated surveys for marine wildlife are time consuming and very expensive, especially if boats and/or divers are required. Public sightings schemes are not only cheaper, they are extremely powerful because of the sheer numbers of people that are out there every day, walking coastal paths, relaxing on beaches or pursuing watersports - so your sightings are very important.

Please report your sightings!