News

260 volunteers this week prepared 20,000 native oysters for deployment onto a newly built reef in Chichester Harbour, as part of the UK’s largest subtidal oyster reef restoration project. Major marine restoration effort The large-scale effort forms part of the Solent Seascape Project, a major marine restoration initiative led by ocean conservation charity Blue Marine […]

If you take to the waters of Chichester Harbour in the summer, you can help our coastal birds breed successfully for future generations to enjoy… Each year, coastal birds including Little Terns, Oystercatchers and Ringed Plover attempt to nest on Chichester Harbour’s shingle spits and islands.  There are very few places around the harbour that […]

Chichester Harbour Conservancy recently commissioned a technical report into options for creating a new sustainable future route for Footpath 1 (part of the King Charles III England Coast Path) at Chalkdock Marsh, West Itchenor.  The intention is that any such route will initially function as an additional route as well as providing a footpath for […]

Our Education Centre continues to have a positive impact on learning. In the past academic year our Education Team have delivered practical and engaging nature based sessions for more than 9,000 people. During the 2024–25 academic year, 9,281 people took part in educational programmes to better connect them with the natural environment of Chichester Harbour. […]

The seabirds of Chichester Harbour have returned to breed around the harbour, and you can get a unique insight into the lives of Chichester Harbour’s Common Tern population.   Tern TV live streams all the action action from one of Chichester Harbour Conservancy’s tern rafts – who needs Netflix?!  Common terns fly thousands of miles each […]

Chichester Harbour Conservancy has successfully prosecuted a boat-owner who caused a danger to other water users by contravening local harbour byelaws and navigating without care or caution. On 15 April 2026, Malcolm Oliver pled guilty at court to navigating his vessel without care and caution, in a manner that caused danger to other harbour users, […]

Chichester Harbour Conservancy has been recognised for its outstanding contribution to the local area, receiving a prestigious award from the High Sheriff of West Sussex in acknowledgement of its “dedicated and valuable service to the community on land and at sea.” The award was presented to Chichester Harbour  Conservancy CEO Matt Briers and Education Centre […]

Stand on the shoreline and take in the vast views across the waters of Chichester Harbour…  The surface shimmers, changing from blue to green to grey. But have you ever wondered, what lies beneath? Environmental DNA analysis Recent “Environmental DNA” water sampling offers us some answers. As fish swim through the water, they leave a DNA signature […]

A guest blog by Alice from Coast and Country Canines about choosing to walk in a safer, more enjoyable and wildlife aware way. As dog owners, we value the natural world – after all, we are the ones out in it every day. Working together to protect natural spaces is just part of being a […]

The King Charles III England Coast Path was officially opened today around the shores of Chichester Harbour.  Walkers can now explore 35 miles of Chichester Harbour’s wildlife-rich coastline stretching from South Hayling in Hampshire, to East Head in West Sussex.  Combined with neighbouring sections, there are now over 210 continuous miles of coast path between […]

On Friday, 5000 native oysters were returned to the waters of Chichester Harbour, marking a significant step in restoring this endangered marine creature. Secured in cages under the Chichester Harbour Conservancy public jetty at Itchenor by the Harbour Oysters team, the project was joint funded by Chichester Harbour Conservancy and local charity Chichester Harbour Friends.  After […]

The Solent Seascape Project is launching Songs from the Solent, a new EP by Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Richard Walters that uses music to spotlight the Solent’s threatened coastal habitats and the communities connected to them.  Created during Richard’s Artist Residency with the project, the album is inspired by the Solent’s local community as well as the saltmarshes, seagrass meadows, oyster reefs and seabird […]