Sussex diver behind UK-leading conservation project receives honorary degree

A Sussex diver who pioneered one the UK's biggest marine rewilding project is being awarded an honorary doctorate degree in science.

Eric Smith began Sussex Kelp Recovery after he saw first-hand how huge, commercial fishing nets were wrecking the seabeds in Bognor.

His observation led to a pioneering trawling ban, which has helped restore mussel beds stretching across the Sussex coastline - helping underwater ecosystems to thrive.

The 74-year-old will receive the degree from the University of Sussex in a ceremony today - but told Greatest Hits Radio that he never began the project for recognition:

"What did it for me was a dive in Bognor, where there were there was fish everywhere, but the tide wasn't right.

" We came back the following weekend, like seven days later to go on the right side to see how many fish were around and the whole area had been smashed to pieces.

"We saw the trawlers going through the area.

"All we had was tiny fish trying to put the nest back together.

"There was weed scattered everywhere, dead fish floating on the surface. You'd never seen such devastation."

Sharing his observations online back in 2005 triggered a viral moment which spiraled into a ban on the practice 16 years later:

"We found one mussel bed which covered about a tennis court inside.

"That was three years ago.

"Now, that mussel bed spreads from Lancing and Worthing right down to the Palace Pier, and nine or 10 miles beyond that.

"That bonds the bottom back together. If the bottom's not bonded back together, then it's rolling around in storms, nothing can shelter, all the little fish are getting killed, but now the little fish are starting to come back in the rock pools."

He also runs the Sussex Underwater Facebook page, sharing footage of group dives.

Eric shared that he will be celebrating with team members and family by going out for a meal.