0:00:05 > 0:00:09To the north, west and south Wales is surrounded by sea.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14I'm on a sea journey around Wales.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15RESPIRATOR NOISE
0:00:15 > 0:00:18In this episode, I'm travelling around the Llyn Peninsula
0:00:18 > 0:00:20to Cardigan Bay.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23I'll be meeting people who work on the sea.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27- The best thing for you to catch is lobster, is it?- All of it, Iolo.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30I don't think now we could do without any of it, you've got to get it all.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Those who have a passion for the sea.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36I spent hours looking out to sea as a child longing,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38wanting to be involved, wanting to go on the water.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42And I'm discovering the incredible wildlife that lives in the sea.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Amazing thing!
0:00:53 > 0:00:57The sea is one of Wales' finest assets.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Above all, it's a place where we can relax and play.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07This is the Llyn Peninsula and the beautiful harbour of Trefor.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12I'm setting off in a kayak with instructor Huw Jones.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17We're heading for Nefyn
0:01:17 > 0:01:20on one of the best sea kayaking journeys in Wales.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26On a beautiful, calm day like this, you can understand why people
0:01:26 > 0:01:30get hooked on this increasingly popular water sport.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34It gives you the freedom to quietly explore isolated coastal areas
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and see views that you can't see from shore.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40This is the way to see the coast, isn't it?
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Nice and peaceful.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46And do you know, when you're in a kayak,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48the birds are far more tolerant of you too, aren't they?
0:01:48 > 0:01:51- Yeah.- They don't feel as threatened somehow.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Oh, look at that, inch perfect. Well done, boy, nice one.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03- Oh, that's nice, isn't it? Nice little feature?- Yeah.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10So do you just lead tours or lead expeditions usually then, Huw?
0:02:10 > 0:02:14Our main sort of work is training, that's on a day-to-day basis,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17and then three or four times a year,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19we'll do an expedition somewhere else.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24- Next week, we're off to Connemara for eight days.- Oh, wow!
0:02:24 > 0:02:29- And this coastline here, this must be ideal for you?- Oh, yeah, it's a good training ground.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32- Especially in this weather for somebody like me.- Yeah.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Sea kayaks can cruise at a fairly high speed
0:02:40 > 0:02:43especially on calm seas like today.
0:02:44 > 0:02:50An experienced, fit kayaker can paddle 20 miles or more in a day.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53That allows you to go on long journeys
0:02:53 > 0:02:55and explore big chunks of the coastline
0:02:55 > 0:02:58and get quietly close to wildlife.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05- Is that a seal?- Ah...yes.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07- Oh, there's a couple here, there's a couple.- Yeah.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11A couple of seals, look, just popped up to have a look.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Hello, boys.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Down he goes.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19There's one here. Look at this.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28- They're lovely animals, aren't they? - Yeah.- I like seals.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32- There's quite a few in the back of that cave.- Oh, is there? Oh, cool.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36- That's what all the splashing was. - That's obviously where they go in to hide.- Yeah.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40Here she comes, look. Completely relaxed, isn't she?
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Off she goes.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48And that's the joy with these, Huw, is that they don't make any noise.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50No noise at all, do they?
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Nice to see the seals.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- Well, we've got guillemots, a couple of guillemots here now.- Yeah.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09- They've quarried every headland here, haven't they?- Yeah.- Every single one.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14Do you know what, I didn't actually realise that until now, until kayaking along here.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16You don't see it from land really.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Some of these old quarries are tucked out of the way.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24The north Llyn coast was extensively quarried for granite,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26but all but one quarry has now closed.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32Ships carrying quarried granite and slate from other North Wales mines
0:04:32 > 0:04:35would travel pretty much on the same route that I'm taking with Huw.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39And when they passed the Nefyn and Porthdinllaen headland,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42they would have to avoid hidden rocks underwater.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Many did not.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48RESPIRATOR NOISE
0:04:49 > 0:04:54Underwater, there are several shipwrecks that failed to keep their distance from the coast
0:04:54 > 0:04:56because of fog or stormy weather.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58RESPIRATOR NOISE
0:05:02 > 0:05:04This is all Welsh slate.
0:05:04 > 0:05:11The ship itself has all but gone, just a few bits and bobs remaining, but the slate is still here.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16And no-one really knows where this ship was from
0:05:16 > 0:05:18or where it was going to,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21they don't know the name of the ship.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24But they have found a few Irish coins here,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27so the thinking is that it was on its way
0:05:27 > 0:05:32probably out of Caernarfon maybe or maybe Bangor,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35taking Welsh slate over to Ireland.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48The slate cargo has been transformed
0:05:48 > 0:05:51into an artificial reef full of sea life.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00The slates were en route to make a few Welsh landlords wealthy,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02but they failed to complete their journey
0:06:02 > 0:06:06and instead helped to improve the wealth of the sea.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17Usually, it's the ship that forms an artificial reef.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22There's all...the seaweed and the plants and the fish living on it.
0:06:22 > 0:06:29But in this case, the ship has long gone, it's 150 years old now,
0:06:29 > 0:06:34and it's the cargo, the slate that has formed this artificial reef,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37which is absolutely alive with wildlife.
0:06:37 > 0:06:43You've got lobsters, you've got starfish, sponges and all kinds of fish.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Many of the fish are wrasses.
0:06:49 > 0:06:55There are two species here. The ones with a black dot are goldsinny wrasse,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58those with black and white stripes are female cuckoo wrasse.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04There are also big shoals of pouting.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08The artificial slate reef is a magnet for feeding fish.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Crates of slates are lying just as they were stacked
0:07:15 > 0:07:18over 150 years ago.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25They're great hiding places for crabs, lobsters
0:07:25 > 0:07:27and all kinds of sea life.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Closer to the shore at Porthdinllaen,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39there's another rich underwater habitat.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42This time a natural one.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45It's a rare bed of sea grass.
0:07:46 > 0:07:52Alison Hargrave, who's the Special Areas of Conservation Officer with Gwynedd council,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54looks after this unique marine plant.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57It's the only flowering plant you get in the sea,
0:07:57 > 0:08:02so it's very different from... You'll get lots of seaweeds, bootlace weeds, kelp, that kind of thing.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07This is very different, it's got leaves, it's got a root system as well, which other things don't have.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09This one is a particularly big bed,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- it's about the size of 46 football pitches. It's a really massive bed. - Is it?!
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Why is it here then? What does it actually need?
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Exactly the same as what these boats here need, it needs shelter,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23it needs shallow seas, it needs a lot of light.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26And it needs quite clean water, so it's a good indication
0:08:26 > 0:08:28that we've got clean waters here as well if you get sea grass.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30How rare is it in Wales?
0:08:30 > 0:08:36Cos I don't know of anywhere else in Wales where I could dive and see sea grass like I can see here.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40At this point, I think it's now been classed as quite nationally scarce.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43So you get a few bits, we've got some in Criccieth down the coast,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45you've got some in Milford Haven down the coast.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50This is one of the biggest beds. But over the last 20-30 years, we've lost about 80% of our sea grass,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53mostly down to a wasting disease, but then we've got lots of other things,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56the moorings are having an impact, pollution.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00There's lots of issues there that are contributing to that.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07Like land plants, many underwater plants die back over the winter.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12It's now the autumn and the sea grass is past its best,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14- but it's sill an impressive sight. - RESPIRATOR NOISE
0:09:15 > 0:09:22When you come down here, it really is like swimming through an underwater meadow.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25It's an amazing habitat.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27And it's full of small fish,
0:09:27 > 0:09:33lots and lots of different fish using this sea grass as cover.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39This small fish is a two-spotted goby.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43It likes swimming over underwater plants close to shore.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46It's one of 33 species of fish
0:09:46 > 0:09:48that have been found living on the sea grass.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50And some are very well hidden.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Look at this!
0:09:53 > 0:09:55It's a cat shark or a dogfish
0:09:55 > 0:10:00resting on the sea grass, a bit like a hammock,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03and it's being rocked back and forth, back and forth.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06OK, boy, here we are. Hello.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09There we are, you go back down and rest again.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12- RESPIRATOR NOISE - Amazing things.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18There are also less obvious animals living on the sea grass.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22These tentacles belong to a snakelocks anemone.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26It catches tiny particles of food suspended in the sea.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29It usually likes attaching itself to rocks,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32but sea grass works just as well as an anchor point.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41This rare habitat is important for many species,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43but it's a very delicate one.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47One of the big problems you have here is...
0:10:47 > 0:10:51when boats moor down here,
0:10:51 > 0:10:56the mooring chain'll go round and round and round with the currents and the tides
0:10:56 > 0:10:59and it clears an area of sea grass.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03And then sargassum, or Japweed as it's known,
0:11:03 > 0:11:07an alien species, this is him here,
0:11:07 > 0:11:12this comes in and takes over a lot of those bare areas.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15And in just the last 25 years,
0:11:15 > 0:11:20they've lost about 10% of the sea grass beds here because of that.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Bare patches caused by boat moorings are found in many
0:11:27 > 0:11:30parts of the grass.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33It's only when you come down here that you actually see the damage.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Of course, boats need to be able to moor up.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40I've actually come here today by boat.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43But it is something that we all need to be aware of,
0:11:43 > 0:11:48after all it is a Special Area of Conservation, albeit a hidden one.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Sailing, both competitively
0:12:04 > 0:12:08and as a leisure activity, is one of the oldest sports of the sea, and
0:12:08 > 0:12:13there are few better places to sail than in Cardigan Bay near Pwllheli.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18It's one of three locations in the UK which is recognised as a
0:12:18 > 0:12:22major international venue, hosting European and world championships.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28I'm heading out on a fast offshore racing yacht.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33I'm with Richard Tudor, who used to compete internationally
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and has sailed around the world twice.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40This high-performance boat, with a value of around £100,000,
0:12:40 > 0:12:45has won many races but today it'll be just plain sailing.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50At least, I hope so. I'm not the most experienced crew hand
0:12:50 > 0:12:52he could've chosen.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56But I'm in safe hands and lucky for me
0:12:56 > 0:13:00the conditions are not exactly challenging.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03- There you go.- Done?- Fantastic.- Yeah?
0:13:03 > 0:13:04Come back now.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15I feel I've been very lucky.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19A privilege, really, to have been brought up in such
0:13:19 > 0:13:22a wonderful place in Cardigan Bay.
0:13:25 > 0:13:30I've spent hours looking out to sea, as a child, wanting...that longing
0:13:30 > 0:13:35feeling, wanting to be involved, wanting to be on the water.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42- OK, Tomos comes back now.- In this case...tension on the halyard.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44I got you, yeah.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Llyn Peninsula certainly did have their breed of incredible sailors
0:13:51 > 0:13:55that travelled or tramped the whole world, making a living.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04What would be the usual crew on a boat like this then, Richard?
0:14:04 > 0:14:08This boat only goes out racing with the aim of winning.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12You'd have your bowman, mastman, pitman, two trimmers,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16mid-sail man, the helmsman and the tactician.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18- Eight people?- Eight people.- Wow!
0:14:18 > 0:14:20One or two guests
0:14:20 > 0:14:22or if it's a very windy day
0:14:22 > 0:14:24you'd need some more people for the weight.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25Wow!
0:14:25 > 0:14:28And you'd concentrate and move the weight across the boat
0:14:28 > 0:14:30- at certain times.- Yeah, yeah.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32The more weight you have on the weather side,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34the more upright the boat becomes.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38And the more upright the boat, the faster the boat, is it?
0:14:38 > 0:14:42In certain wind conditions and sea states, yes.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Also you can feel, did you feel the instant acceleration
0:14:46 > 0:14:48when Tomos pulled the sail in, the instant acceleration we had...?
0:14:48 > 0:14:50We picked up straightaway.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Picked up speed straightaway.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55So, what makes this area, this bay particularly,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58so good for sailing then?
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Well, it's clean.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02It's got incredibly clean waters.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05It's got relatively little tidal influence.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08The tide goes up and down
0:15:08 > 0:15:10but there's not a fast stream as you have in other
0:15:10 > 0:15:13places, seaside resorts.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16And, as well, the lack of commercial traffic.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Ships and ferries don't enter the bay and it's incredibly safe.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23And here we are now, we've gone past Llanbedrog,
0:15:23 > 0:15:28coming towards Abersoch, and you see sailing ships everywhere here.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Yeah, dozens and dozens of them!
0:15:35 > 0:15:38OK, ready about. Lee ho!
0:15:44 > 0:15:47On a day like this, you'd have to agree with
0:15:47 > 0:15:51Richard that this must be one of the best places in the world to sail.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53It's made even more special by regular
0:15:53 > 0:15:56visits by bottlenose dolphins.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01In fact, the clean and relatively warm water in this
0:16:01 > 0:16:05part of Cardigan Bay attracts a lot of very special wildlife.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14These are the islands of
0:16:14 > 0:16:17St Tudwal to the south of Abersoch.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19In the sea near the islands
0:16:19 > 0:16:21an unusual shrimp lives on the sea bed.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27I'm going to dive to look for it with marine biologist Rohan Holt.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34On all dives, you must have a backup crew of safety divers
0:16:34 > 0:16:37just in case something goes wrong below the surface.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42The sea bed here is 20 metres down and the visibility isn't
0:16:42 > 0:16:46particularly good, so dive safety is very important.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57We're trying to find a mantis shrimp, a crustacean that has
0:16:57 > 0:17:01claws that resemble the front legs of the insect the praying mantis.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05It's generally a Mediterranean species.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08It may have spread north as a result of recent climate change
0:17:08 > 0:17:10and the possible warming up of the sea.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13There again, the shrimps may have always been here
0:17:13 > 0:17:16and we've simply not found them before.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20In the UK, they're only seen here in Cardigan Bay
0:17:20 > 0:17:23and some parts on the south coast of England.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Ah, I think this might be one.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Yes, looks like it, here's the other end now.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Oh, right, OK, I've got you.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40It's a U-shaped burrow underneath here...
0:17:42 > 0:17:46..goes down about seven or eight inches, and if there's a
0:17:46 > 0:17:48mantis shrimp in the burrow,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50it might just pop out the other side any second.
0:17:50 > 0:17:51Oh, fantastic!
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Oh! Look at that, wow!
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Ow! Ow, ow, ow, ow!
0:18:02 > 0:18:04IOLO LAUGHS
0:18:04 > 0:18:09They've got this amazing array of very sharp spines...
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Oh, yeah, I see.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13..on the back end of these things.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18And they can inflict pain even through, ow, my gloves.
0:18:18 > 0:18:19Honestly?
0:18:19 > 0:18:22So, when you pick them up, he'll kick into you with that
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and those will penetrate gloves and penetrate the skin?
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Oh, yes, definitely.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30This is, actually, quite a small one.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Do we know how many there are here?
0:18:34 > 0:18:39Well, when we did a survey of them a few years ago, we were finding
0:18:39 > 0:18:42that there's around about, up to about
0:18:42 > 0:18:45two or three burrows per square metre
0:18:45 > 0:18:47in the densest part of the area.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52So, you know there are thousands of them.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55So, why this part of Wales and nowhere else?
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Why not in southern Cardigan Bay?
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Well, I think in Cardigan Bay during the summer,
0:19:01 > 0:19:07water temperatures get up to 19 degrees at times, and these little
0:19:07 > 0:19:10guys being from the Mediterranean
0:19:10 > 0:19:12they really like their, sort of,
0:19:12 > 0:19:18thermal, warm bath that Cardigan Bay becomes during the summer.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25There he is, look at that!
0:19:25 > 0:19:28That is the mantis shrimp,
0:19:28 > 0:19:30a Mediterranean species,
0:19:30 > 0:19:35now basking off the coast of Pwllheli.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Why it's here, don't ask me, nobody really knows but there he is,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42the mantis shrimp.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45And although the front end looks dangerous
0:19:45 > 0:19:48with these praying mantis-like claws,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51it's the tail end, that end there, that's the one
0:19:51 > 0:19:55you've got to be careful of. That's the end that does all the damage.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Amazing thing!
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Right, off you go, boy.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Oh, here he is, look, he's come back to see me.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Hello, boy, you're supposed to go down now not up.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Get down, come on, get down!
0:20:15 > 0:20:16He'll probably go and burrow,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19find a new burrow or make a new burrow himself.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29The sea holds many secrets.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33It's a big, wild environment, and similar to land,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37life goes on day and night.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40We're just off the coast of Criccieth on the Llyn Peninsula
0:20:40 > 0:20:42here now, you can see the castle behind me there
0:20:42 > 0:20:44and we're waiting for the sun to go down because we're going
0:20:44 > 0:20:47to do a night dive, something that I haven't done for many, many years.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50And the reason for doing this is because it's very different,
0:20:50 > 0:20:52everything looks different at night.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54The colours are different and you get different creatures
0:20:54 > 0:20:57coming out as well and you're never quite sure
0:20:57 > 0:20:59what you're going to get down there.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Animals that rest by day usually become
0:21:04 > 0:21:07active as soon as they can when the light decreases
0:21:07 > 0:21:10and the possibility of them being seen by predators reduces.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Like watching wildlife on land, between dusk
0:21:15 > 0:21:17and total darkness is often the best time.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24We dive soon after sunset.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Our lights are visible in the sea.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33The sea bed near Criccieth is sand.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39A swimming crab is out looking for food.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46This curious creature covered with what looks like hair
0:21:46 > 0:21:48is a sea mouse.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51It's actually a distant relative of the earthworm and it, too,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54is scavenging for remains of dead animals on the sea bed.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58This broad-nosed pipefish is using its tiny
0:21:58 > 0:22:01fins to keep its front end steady as it swims.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Its movement isn't particularly agile
0:22:05 > 0:22:08because it has an armoured, rigid body.
0:22:08 > 0:22:13Usually by day these things are hiding away in amongst
0:22:13 > 0:22:15sea grass or seaweed,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17virtually invisible, and here
0:22:17 > 0:22:23they are at night out in the open like, well, like small eels, really.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26And lots of these will be coming out at night now
0:22:26 > 0:22:28in order to avoid the bigger fish.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46Hermit crab here, common enough but by day usually
0:22:46 > 0:22:51hidden in their shell and at night they come out and forage, and of
0:22:51 > 0:22:55course when it grows, it'll move out of one shell into a bigger shell.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01This one's almost outgrown this shell already.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05It'll be feeding on all kinds of organic material from the sea bed.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Anything dead, a dead fish or another dead crab, it will come
0:23:09 > 0:23:12and scavenge on that as well.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15That's a big one, I'll show you, I'll put my hand in by him
0:23:15 > 0:23:19just to show you, give you some idea of the size...oh, off he goes.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28While Criccieth sleeps, the sea offshore is busy.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34The sea around Wales is a fascinating place,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36even after dark.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46Because the sea is such a big area, literally on our doorstep, we might
0:23:46 > 0:23:50be forgiven for thinking that it's a limitless and convenient resource.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53But that's not the case.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56If we don't fish wisely, then stocks will diminish
0:23:56 > 0:23:58and eventually disappear altogether.
0:24:00 > 0:24:0315 commercial fishing boats operate from Aberystwyth.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Dean Parry skippers one of them.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12How far out will you go then now?
0:24:12 > 0:24:16The furthest we fish at the moment is about six mile.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18But we will, a little bit later on,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21we'll go up to about ten, maybe 11 mile.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23So, is that 11 mile out or just 11 mile down...?
0:24:23 > 0:24:25- 11 mile out, 11 mile out to sea.- Oh, 11 mile out, will you?
0:24:25 > 0:24:30We go about eight mile south and about six mile north.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Right, OK.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35So we cover quite a big area, we cover quite a big area.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37All of your crabs, lobsters,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40everything you catch goes off abroad?
0:24:40 > 0:24:43No, about 90% of it does.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45So, this is the first one coming up now, is it?
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Coming up to the first fleet here now.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- OK, right, I'd better let you get on with it.- Lovely.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Like most coastal fishermen in Wales,
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Dean fishes for lobsters and crabs,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58with what he calls a fleet of pots,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01which are baited baskets linked together with rope
0:25:01 > 0:25:04and dropped to any depth up to around 20 metres of water.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06Hey, that's posh bait, isn't it?
0:25:06 > 0:25:07What are you putting in there?
0:25:07 > 0:25:09They like a bit of salmon.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11Aye, this is upmarket fishing, this is, mun!
0:25:11 > 0:25:12DEAN LAUGHS
0:25:12 > 0:25:14You get a better class of lobster then!
0:25:14 > 0:25:15You get a better class of...aye!
0:25:15 > 0:25:18I do like using salmon, it's a waste product.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21You're not catching fish to use as bait.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24The fish is caught, all the best parts have been taken off it.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Oh, that's a nice one, look at that.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Sponge crab.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Do you know, I've never seen one of these before.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34They've normally got a bit of sponge all around them.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36They bring their homes with them.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Yeah, and it's like sort of camouflage,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40they put bits on them and all this.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Well, well, well, sponge crab.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Creatures like sponge crabs that we don't eat or undersized crabs
0:25:48 > 0:25:51and lobsters are put back in the sea.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53These spider crabs will be kept.
0:25:56 > 0:25:57Squid eggs, these are.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02They lay them in strings like that and they like to lay them on pots.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Amazing things, look at them.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13So, the best thing for you to catch is probably lobster, is it?
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Rather than crab, or it doesn't matter? Either or...
0:26:16 > 0:26:18- These are all right.- Oh, they are?
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Spiders, the female spiders, because it's a very...they're heavy
0:26:21 > 0:26:23and there's a lot of, erm....
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Actually all of it, Iolo.
0:26:25 > 0:26:26I don't think now
0:26:26 > 0:26:30- you could do without any of it. You've got to get it all.- Yeah.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33You must have good days and bad days on this business as well, do you?
0:26:33 > 0:26:34You have days where you think...
0:26:34 > 0:26:36On average, 50 good days.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38And is this, so far, a good day?
0:26:38 > 0:26:40- Well, not really.- No?
0:26:40 > 0:26:43- No...well, mind you, it's early yet, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Fishing is carefully regulated to ensure
0:26:45 > 0:26:49the protection of sea wildlife and Dean is helping with
0:26:49 > 0:26:52a survey of marine species being carried out by Bangor University.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58Marine ecologists Jodie Haig and Julia Pantin are tagging and
0:26:58 > 0:27:03measuring undersized lobsters before they're put back into the sea.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06The information will be used to study lobster behaviour
0:27:06 > 0:27:08and their numbers.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11We've got different colours for different areas around Wales,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14and so what we'll do is we'll tag all the undersized and some
0:27:14 > 0:27:19of the oversized and gravid females, like pregnant females as well.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21So this is just lobster you're...
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Just lobster for now, yeah.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26And maybe next year we might branch out into tagging crab as well
0:27:26 > 0:27:28but for the moment it's just lobster.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30And we'll soon be able to get
0:27:30 > 0:27:33an indication of the population size and how far they move as well, so...
0:27:36 > 0:27:39The majority of Welsh fishing boats are inshore vessels.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42So, Welsh fishermen are highly dependent on the state
0:27:42 > 0:27:44of local stocks, but surprisingly,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48we still don't know a great deal about the biology of this sea life.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51We don't know how abundant the species are, how the
0:27:51 > 0:27:54species are distributed in Cardigan Bay,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56or, indeed, if the populations are fragile.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02So, fishermen and scientists working together on projects like this
0:28:02 > 0:28:05is vital for both the fishermen and their catch.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08Next time...
0:28:08 > 0:28:11I'll be watching dolphins herding fish into a beautiful bay.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14We're at the mouth of the Teifi here.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16So, you get the salmon and the sewin.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18I'll be seeing the destructive effects of the sea.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20It was land right out to those two pinnacles there?
0:28:20 > 0:28:23There was land right out to those two pinnacles there.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26I'll be finding out about tidal energy off the coast of Pembrokeshire.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28This device will be put into Ramsey Sound,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30and St David's will be powered by tidal power.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32And I'll be going to the most westerly point of Wales to
0:28:32 > 0:28:34swim with seals.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38A female grey seal nibbling away at my fins, quite lovingly.