Shoreline saved from invasive seaweed

A GROUP of volunteers have saved Galloway’s shoreline from an invasive species of seaweed.

Led by local charity Solway Firth Partnership, over 4000 people took to the shorelines of the Rhins of Galloway to learn more about marine wildlife when they made the shocking discovery of an invasive species.

The team and its volunteers had been exploring and monitoring seaweed along the stretch, when they uncovered invasive seaweed species.

Now after a year of further monitoring, it has been reported that the threat has gone and marine life has returned to normal.

Nic Coombey, Project Officer at Solway Firth Partnership said: “Galloway Seaweed Search has been one of our most impactful projects to date!

“Not only have we been able to successfully discover and monitor an invasive species, but we’ve also been able to get many locals involved to discover the wonderful world of seaweed.

“Protecting and celebrating our beautiful beaches is at the heart of what we do, and thanks to ScottishPower’s funding we went even further than we had initially hoped to. This will have a lasting impact on the shoreline for years to come.”

The non-native species found was Wakame, Undaria pinnatifida, a large brown seaweed that grows on submerged man-made structures such as pontoons.

This invasive seaweed from Asia, where it is economically important in the food industry, was discovered through the project and recorded for the very first time in the South West of Scotland.

Thanks to the efforts of the project, there was no evidence of Wakame found in 2025, after having been detected two years in a row.

Gillian Arnot, senior stakeholder and community manager at ScottishPower Renewables said: “Supporting local communities is at the heart of everything we do, so playing our part in supporting community projects is really important to us. That’s why ScottishPower has invested more than £23 million in local community initiatives over the last 17 years.

“Galloway Seaweed Search shows how volunteers and experts can work together to tackle the issues facing our region. We’re proud to support their work to understand and improve our shorelines for future generations.”