Beach Safety - Haven Holidays

FAMILYFUNThe RNLI has teamed up with the Marine ConservationSociety (MCS) to help keep our beaches safe and cleanfor people and wildlife. MCS recommends you visitgoodbeachguide.co.uk to discover Britain’s best beachesand avoid swimming in dirty water.When you’ve arrived at your chosen beach, exploringthe seashore is fantastic fun for all the family. You canfind a new world of wildlife in shallow pools amongboulders and sands, most of which is beautiful andharmless. But it’s worth being well aware of the fewanimals that can cause a painful injury. You can see themost common opposite. For all of these, MCS advises:‘Look, but don’t touch’ and asks you to remember:leave animals where you find themcarefully lift and replace any rocks you may haveremoved – there are animals underneath that needthem for shelterleave attached seaweed in place – there is plentylying loose on the shorelinedo not trample through the rock poolsplay away from cliffs.ENVIRONMENTOur coast is spectacularly beautiful, rich in wildlife andhugely popular, drawing people from a considerabledistance for a range of recreational activities. Manysites are protected for their special wildlife interest andinclude a variety of rare and protected species frommarine mammals to plants, birds and insects.Depending on where you are in the UK, take a look atthese websites to find out if the beach you’re visiting isin a protected site and what habitats and species youmight find:Natural England www.naturalengland.org.ukCountryside Council for Wales www.ccw.gov.ukNorthern Ireland Environment Agencywww.ni-environment.gov.ukScottish Natural Heritage www.snh.gov.uk