The unique and iconic Skomer marine conservation zone (MCZ) is celebrating its 30th birthday this year.

Designated a Marine Nature Reserve in 1990, the zone is the only one of its kind in Wales and remains a golden opportunity to study and protect the marine environment.

The 13.2 square kilometres of the zone stretch from around Skomer island to the adjacent Marloes Peninsula and it is famed for its underwater scenery and amazing range of marine life.

Over the last three decades more than 55,400 divers have explored the MCZ, both for pleasure and to contribute to the survey and monitoring work and more than 390,000 people have visited the MCZ exhibition at Martin's Haven.

Volunteer divers, working with Natural Resources Wales, have surveyed more than 180,040 square metres of seabed, looking at scallops, which are protected in the MCZ and have increased seven-fold, fish, urchins and eel grass, a rare and sensitive habitat which harbours a wealth of wildlife and has increased in area and density.

Species studies have recorded 79 species of nudibranch (sea slug), representing 70% of UK species; followed the fate of more than 7430 seal pups and photographed more than 130 slow-growing sea fans on an annual basis.

Winds of over 110 mph and waves over 13 metres high have also been measured.

Thanks to its location Skomer MCZ has unique and varied habitats. Situated as it is where northern and southern species overlap - there is a huge variety of wildlife of all shapes and colours, unlike anywhere else in Great Britain – making it a great place to study and monitor changes in the marine environment.

"In the 30 years since its first designation, this marine conservation site has worked with a wide range of stakeholders from the academic, commercial and recreational sectors to achieve the best outcome for marine wildlife," said Phil Newman, senior marine environmental assessment officer for Natural resources Wales which manages the zone.

"For many of them it has been the continuation of work they started decades before to gain recognition for the area.

"For others, their involvement has been more recent and, in the case of our many volunteers, even more personal as they have helped us achieve an ambitious monitoring and management programme.

"We owe a huge debt to all of them and hope to be able to honour their investment in the site by continuing the work for many years to come.

"With climate change and other challenges facing the marine environment, it is more important than ever that Skomer continues to flourish as a place of learning and conservation."