Living with the Sea

If you passed through the village of Ullapool this summer you may have seen large outdoor banners with wonderful images of the sea, the wildlife beneath it and the people who use it.

Living with the Sea involved communities from Achiltibuie south to Laide, taking in Loch Broom and Little Loch Broom. It aimed to raise awareness of the links between what people do – fishing, marine tourism, fishfarming – and marine biodiversity, the extraordinary but little-known creatures that support the marine economy.

Local groups linked to the sea, from sailing, kayak and dive clubs to marinetour operators, fish farmers and local businesses, each helped to designtheir own banner. Each of the 25 banners shows a link between a local marine-based activity and a particular locally-important marine habitat – for example lobster creeling with the wildlife of rocks and crevices.

Each of the five schools in the area also created a banner of pictures of local marine life, inspired by photographs and underwater camera footage.

25 large banners will be displayed in Ullapool during the summer months in future summers. Two sets of smaller mobile banners are available for use in schools and events. See the banner gallery. Please contact Becky Boyd on 01463 811497 or Kevin Peach, Harbourmaster, 01854 612724.

Living with the Sea is a project led by SWT in partnership with Ullapool Harbour Trust, Ullapool Tourism and Business Association and the Wester Ross Environment Network and funded by Highland LEADER, Awards for All and Scottish Natural Heritage. See our Living with the Sea leaflet.