Environmental Programme
Since 2025, Kintyre Seasports have worked closely with Campbeltown Grammar School and the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) and MOWI, to carry out environmental research within the Kintyre. Along side valuable data that could be added to the national data base, we hope to give the pupils a lasting interest in the marine environment and the effect of climate change and pollution from human activity.
Kintyre Seasports and Campbeltown Grammar School have been supported by SAMS in the Environmental Monitoring Project. Pupils were consulted about their current knowledge and ideas of what they would like to find out. In collaboration with several scientists, a range of projects were identified which linked to the pupils’ ideas. These project proposals were shared with pupils, teachers and KSS staff and a plan of action made.
The monitoring of Japanese Skelton Shrimp was the chosen topic. Not only does this require sailing skills and navigation but the data is valuable for current scientific research. We have linked with a PhD researcher working on the topic nationally, and they are very keen to here of the pupils’ results and add this to the data base. SAMS staff supported pupils to form research groups with individual scientific roles, make, and organise their field equipment and plan a timetable.
On the first trip to place the nets in the chosen location, MOWI Scotland were able to provide a large Challenger vessel allowing 6 pupils and their biology teacher to place the nets. Nets to attract and capture the tiny shrimp are attached at 2 different levels at each site by the pupils supervised by KSS.
We look forward to finding out the results of the data we are currently collecting.