With support from the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust, Whitby Lobster Hatchery has launched an exciting new marine habitat project, BioBlock, along the Yorkshire coast.
New habitats for marine creatures have been created along the seabed using “BioBlocks” made from repurposed concrete. The blocks have been carefully engineered to replicate complex habitat features suitable for a wide range of species. By providing shelter and protection, the project aims to restore populations around Whitby Harbour where four blocks were deployed this summer. Early signs are already encouraging, with a lobster spotted inhabiting one of the blocks in the first dive survey.
The project has been a true community effort, with Whitby Lobster Hatchery working in partnership with Whitby Anchors Dive Club who have been conducting regular underwater monitoring of the sites. The blocks were made using local repurposed waste concrete from Wilf Noble Building Supplies which otherwise would have been discarded.
Project lead Joe Redfern said: “We owe a huge thanks to the Fishmongers’ Company for their generous support in making this project possible. With their help, and through collaboration with local partners, we are taking practical steps towards a richer, more biodiverse North Sea for everyone to enjoy.”
The project will continue to work closely with local divers who will monitor the site and gather data to understand how the blocks are supporting local marine biodiversity. Upcoming plans focus around the release of juvenile lobsters grown in the hatchery on and around the blocks, with this serving as a trial for the larger scale deployment of blocks in the future.
© The Fishmongers’ Company 2025
