Do you want to play a part in restoring our precious oyster and seagrass beds?
BSAC’s Shore Surveyor eLearning course, in partnership with Seawilding, equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to carry out shore surveys and help protect these native species.
One of the first participants of the Shore Surveyor course, 16-year-old Lili, from North Wales, put her new found surveying skills into action while on her summer holidays.
I loved it because it was simple and easy to use and remember. All ages will enjoy it – young children, teenagers, parents, even grandparents.
— Lili, North Wales
The Shore Surveyor course is open to anyone from the age of eight and is a great way to engage children, young people, and families in protecting the UK marine environment.
You don’t have to be a BSAC member to complete the course and no diving or snorkelling qualifications are required.
Shore Surveyor is part of BSAC’s eLearning programme. The course comprises of seven modules which will introduce you to the concept of shore surveying and how to find evidence of Native oysters and seagrass.
During the course you will learn about:
- The UK’s Native oyster and seagrass
- The issues threatening their survival
- Zonation and marine life habitats
- The impact of invasive non-native species
- How to plan and conduct a shore survey
- The contribution of citizen science to marine restoration and how you can make a difference
As this is an eLearning course you can progress with Shore Surveyor at a pace that suits you. There are also plenty of quizzes and refresher tests to check your progress.
What you’ll be qualified to do as a Shore Surveyor
Once you have completed Shore Surveyor, you will be able to plan and carry out a shore survey at a safe location of your choosing. You will be able to recognise signs of the Native oyster and seagrass and identify their habitats. You will also be able to confidently record your findings, which can then contribute to the ongoing protection and restoration of these vulnerable UK species.
You can complete the Shore Surveyor course in your own time online as part of BSAC eLearning
All students will be sent their eLearning student materials once enrolled.
Your next steps – developing your skills
You can follow up on Shore Surveyor and expand your UK marine life knowledge with BSAC’s Marine Appreciation Skill Development Course.
A follow-on course – BSAC Underwater Surveyor – is currently in development and will be released in 2023. Underwater Surveyor will require a diving or snorkelling qualification.
Not yet a diver or snorkeller?
If you are interested in learning to dive or snorkel, BSAC can get you started.
BSAC's Ocean Diver is our entry-level scuba diving course and is open to anyone aged 12 or above.
You can also learn to snorkel with BSAC from the age of six with our Snorkel Training Scheme.
Important note: if you're already a member, you can access your learn to dive training options here.
Submit a learn to dive enquiry
Need help? Call us on 0151 350 6201 (Mon-Fri, 09:00-17:00) or email training@bsac.com for a chat!
