Conservation activists and community members in Penzance have come together to urge residents to look past the breakers and see what's really in the sea.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and West Cornwall Friends of the Earth brought together locals, including former MP Andrew George, to discuss the importance of the wildlife-rich waters off Cornwall's coast, for a panel discussion called Beyond the Waves: Protecting Cornwall’s Seas in Changing Times.

The discussion focused on how local people can take action to help conserve Cornwall’s underwater natural treasures, and was followed by talks about the future of Cornwall’s waters.

With Brexit looming and threats such as climate change ever-increasing, attendees were photographed as part of the MCS's new campaign for more and better managed Marine Protected Areas. Calling for the government to save these salty spaces, attendees showed that there is a real thirst for proper protection and management of these nature reserves in the sea.

Emily Williams, MCS campaign communication officer, said: “Cornwall’s seas are famous for the amazing creatures, such as basking sharks, which are often spotted from shore. However, beyond the waves there is also a fantastic wealth of lesser known creatures such as the stalked jellyfish found in Mounts Bay, and interlacing beautiful coralline algae called maerl in the shallow waters of Falmouth. “Whilst important steps have been taken to protect our seas in recent years, including the designation of Mounts Bay and Lands End Marine Conservation Zone, much more still remains to be done to ensure nature can flourish. These sites now need proper management measures to be put in place - only then can we say that they are being properly looked after.”

The MCS is calling on decision makers across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure that the momentum for effective marine protection continues by committing to properly managing damaging activities within designated Marine Protected Areas, as well as designating more of these nature reserves during a final round of designations due in 2017.

One of the areas which the MCS is calling to be designated as a new Marine Conservation Zone next year is East of Jones Bank - a site 126km from the west of Land's End. Loose cobbles and rich mud habitats in this area provide a diversity of surfaces for species to live within and are particularly favoured by starfish.