WATCH: Snorkel Portelet Launched

Sally Minty-Gravett is leading the Blue Marine Foundation's first snorkel trail at Portelet Bay.

The self-guided trail shows off rocky reefs, kelp, sandy, and a small seagrass bed, with snorkellers able to see Ballan and cuckoo wrasse, spider crabs, and snakelocks.

The trail sits within the designated no-take zone, which came into force earlier this month.

Fishing is banned within the zone and it's an offence to remove any marine species from it, unless it's for scientific investigation.

It has been described as another important step forward in helping to protect and enhance the island's marine environment.

"We are incredibly excited to launch Snorkel Portelet and hope it will enable people of all ages to fully immerse themselves in the marine environment.

We hope it fosters appreciation for the diverse animals and habitats, from tiny gobies to slender, colourful cuckoo wrasse and thongweed, one of the longest seaweeds in the UK.

We are especially thrilled to be supporting schools through an education programme and hope the snorkel trail will inspire the next generation of ocean stewards." - Freddie Watson, Jersey Project Officer for Blue Marine.

Six sessions - which include classroom workshops, a pool session and a guided snorkel tour - are being offered to primary school children over the summer.

The education programme is being delivered by Blue Marine and the Bouley Bay Dive Centre.

Snorkellers will be able to record the marine life they see on a new portal, led by Société Jersiaise.

It's aimed at tracking changes in response to climate change.

"Portelet Bay will be the first of several planned snorkel trails, but it also further establishes the bay as a natural laboratory with the launch of a citizen science program.

This will allow people to record what they’ve seen and continually contribute to the wider study of the bay and the NTZ." - Gareth Jeffreys, Chair of the Société Jersiase Marine Biology Section.

Snorkel Portelet.mp4 from Blue Marine Foundation on Vimeo.

*Picture Credits: Blue Marine/Matt Jarvis Media.