© H. Thedy
Description
The violescent seawhip is only found in the Mediterranean sea! It is has a soft skeleton which shares polyps.i.e., small animals that have tentacles. It likes rocky overhands up to 100 meters deep where it grows perpendicularly to the currents in order to filter the water to catch microorganisms. Its branches are generally red but their tips can sometimes be tinged with yellow.
Scientific name
Paramuricea clavata
Natural habitats
Rocky seabeds
Did you know?
Gorgonians grow very slowly, between one to three centimetres per year, and they can live up to 50 years old.
Conservation stake
Low
Threats
- Uprooting
- Destruction by fishing boats
- Changes to its environment
- Climate change
How can I help to protect it?
- I use environment-friendly mooring techniques to limit the impact of anchoring
- In the case of anchoring out at sea,I only anchor in areas where marine habitats are not fragile and raise the anchor vertically
- I do not disturb marine wildlife. Look but don’t touch!
- I avoid contact with the seabed and with sloping faces
- I avoid repeated and long visits to caves
- I report any unusual environmental incidents
- I recover waste and dispose of it in suitable bins on land
- I do not gather souvenirs from the sea
- I share this best practice with other seafarers and raise their awareness.
