Thrapston Sea Cadets boost lake biodiversity with artificial reef installation

Members of Thrapston Sea Cadets are giving a helping hand to wildlife in the lake where the young people have their boat house.

In a boost for lake biodiversity, the cadets have installed a ‘sea hive’ for aquatic animals in the lake next to the Sea Cadets Thrapston Boat Station.

Sea hives are artificial reefs designed to resemble the aquatic environment, which will provide surfaces for lake-dwelling creatures such as freshwater fish and shrimps to settle on.

Guided by David Francis of SeaHives Ltd, four Junior Sea Cadets, boat station manager Neil Hartwell, staff members and volunteers assembled and installed the sea hive.

Mr Hartwell said: “The cadets were very enthusiastic, did a great job with the assembling of the hive and asked lots of questions.”

The cadets will be monitoring the variety and quantity of aquatic creatures that move into their newly-installed hive over the coming months.

Junior sea cadet nine-year-old Jack said: “We drilled the different parts of the hive and put screws in so it would stay together before putting it in the lake. It was fun to build but also quite hard. It's important for the fish to have a place to live.”

Daisy, who also helped, said: “It was exciting to build the hive and we learnt lots of new things. It’s important to help lake creatures and I hope loads of them will move into the new home we've built for them.”

The sea hive project follows local and national forums among the cadets, called Cadet Voice, where the young people decide on the issues closest to their hearts to action. Being more environmentally responsible emerged as one of the young people’s top priorities.

Thrapston’s project follows on from the first sea hive installed at Sea Cadets Port Edgar Station (near Edinburgh) at the end of March. If the current projects prove successful, more hives will be set up at other Sea Cadets locations across the country.

Ten-year-old John said: “All the juniors at Thrapston Unit are very excited about monitoring the sea hive and keep an eye on what creatures will move in.”

Sea cadet Remy, 11, added: “Sea cadets spend many hours enjoying the water – it’s only right that we should look after our aquatic environment.”