DORSET Wildlife Trust (DWT) is the first recipient of funding from a charity aiming to support marine conservation in the UK.

The Sea-Changers' Innovation Fund was launched this year with the aim of encouraging and supporting new ideas, solutions and projects for marine conservation. Applications were asked to fit an innovation brief of 'an untested solution to conservation in the UK'.

Dorset Wildlife Trust is the first recipient of funding with a £2,000 contribution towards the Dorset 3Deep Project which aims to use specialised software to monitor changes in fragile reef species between Portland and Studland.

Peter Tinsley from DWT said: "We’re really excited to win this innovation grant – this will give us the opportunity to try out a new technique that could really change the way we see the marine environment as well as to better understand the pressures it faces.

"We’re really looking forward to trying it out."

Helen Webb, co-founder of Sea-Changers, said: "We had no idea what the response to this new grant fund was going to be and we were thrilled to receive so many fantastic applications

"The Dorset 3Deep Project really captured the imagination of the grants panel. They felt this approach to underwater mapping would have a significant impact and fully met the innovation brief of an untested solution to conservation in the UK."