As an island community we depend on the sea for so much - but it is also easy to take it for granted. In a monthly column, Dr Lara Howe, marine officer with the Manx Wildlife Trust, and Dr Peter Duncan, senior marine environment officer at DEFA, explore this underwater world and the lives of some of those who work there.

Our previous article about the Manx territorial sea ended on our network of Marine Nature Reserves (MNR) and some questions about who, and how, do we go about better understanding our local marine environment.

Our 10 MNRs now cover 11% of the territorial sea, and almost completely surround the coast where the majority of our exciting marine life lives - so there is one near you!

So how do you go about finding out about your local MNR? DEFA and the Manx Wildlife Trust have done a lot of the hard work for you, developing a series of guides and activity sheets, as well as some exciting new videos that you can watch from the comfort of your home.

Each video, both short and long versions, include an introduction to the MNR, followed by some images and video of the animal and habitat highlights.

They can be found on the Biosphere Isle of Man YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@unescobiosphereisleofman7788/videos

Once you’ve got a sense of our underwater wonders, and the weather improves, you can get out and explore your local MNR, and those further afield.

The 10 MNR guides, along with the spotter sheets that will help you to identify some of the animals and plants, are a perfect way to begin exploring our local coasts and seas from the safety of the beach.

The guides, spotters and further information are available from the DEFA website here: www.gov.im/MNR , or use the QR code from your mobile device.

If this has piqued your interest and you want to learn more about our coast and underwater world why not come along to a Manx Wildlife Trust event, such as a rock pool session or the Festival of the Sea, where you can see a selection of marine animals and plants collected by local divers.

The festival will be on July 15 and 16 but keep an eye on our social media for more information about any of our events.

Alternatively, why not become a citizen scientist and join us in collecting some important data to help monitor our waters, such as invasive species. These species aren’t native to the Isle of Man and have the potential to out compete our local species for food and space.

Check out MWT website for more information or download the ID guide and get hunting for yourself www.mwt.im/citizen-science/invasive-non-native-species

Alternatively you can get a free bound copy from the MWT Shop in Peel or the Nature Discovery Centres at Scarlett and the Ayres.

Also, why not join us in Ramsey in September when we conduct our annual invasive species survey looking for barnacles and oysters?

If you want to help with something less alien and more cute, why not help us record our seal sightings, how many and where?

This is vital work to help us protect them but please remember not to get too close.

For more information on how to enjoy them safely please see the MWT website www.mwt.im/news/seals-sake-and-yours

To get involved all you need to do is note down a date, a location and how many you’ve seen and email them to the MWT.

Also, if you have any concerns about an individual seal please call MWT and they’ll send out a seal sitter to assess them.

Why not take your nature experience to the next level and become a volunteer for MWT? This vital work is critical to enable us to best protect our marine environment and the species that call it home.

For further volunteering opportunities, such as becoming a seal sitter or a marine mammal strandings volunteer, check out MWT’s website or next month’s article.