Nature Recording Hub
Discover how to record the wildlife in your urban environment.
Marine and coastal survey methods and ID guides
The coast is a rich and diverse habitat that supports a variety of life forms, from birds and flowers to sharks and seashells.
If you are ready to explore the coast and its amazing wildlife, this catalogue contains some surveys and ID guides you can use in marine and coastal environments.
Download the full catalogue (PDF 1.4MB), or read the highlights below.
Marine and coastal survey methods and ID guides catalogue
Download the full list of marine and coastal surveys and ID guides
Highlighted surveys
Big Seaweed Search
Natural History Museum and Marine Conservation Society
Search for 14 seaweed species at any UK seashore. Download the guide, choose a 5m wide survey area on the seashore, record any of the target species you see and enter your results online
When: all year round
Equipment: recording forms, a pencil and camera or phone.
Great Eggcase Hunt
Shark Trust
Record shark eggcases and identify them using the online resources.
When: any time of the year
Equipment: none
Shoresearch
The Wildlife Trusts
Contact your local coastal Wildlife Trust to get involved with Shoresearch near you.
There are four types of survey which are standardised across the country: quadrat biodiversity survey, box corer biodiversity survey, timed species search and walkover survey.
Equipment: Some of the surveys require equipment and some training may be provided by the Trust.