Marine habitats – including seagrass and maerl – have been flourishing and demonstrate the benefits of protecting offshore areas, a PhD researcher has said.
Sam Blampied, from the University of Plymouth, is currently collecting data to show the extent of these recovering marine habitats. She said that it was too soon to try to quantify the changes that have taken place so far, but she described the early signs as ‘extremely encouraging’.
‘The recovery of seagrass and maerl, bringing with them their biodiversity and carbon benefits, demonstrates the benefits that marine protected area creation can bring to Jersey’s waters,’ she said.
Marine protection means that fishermen are prohibited from trawling and dredging. The restrictions encourage the growth of valuable species like crab, lobster and scallops, which thrive in shallow waters. Miss Blampied said that it did not make commercial or ecological sense to allow lobsters to be dredged in the search for less valuable species.
‘Observations of juvenile scallops and crustaceans on the maerl beds are a sign of its importance as a nursery habitat, and the sightings of tope in the area indicate that these are healthy and productive habitats,’ she added.
Early signs of recovery in marine habitats ‘extremely encouraging’
Sam Blampied, from the University of Plymouth, is currently collecting data to show the extent of these recovering marine habitats. She said that it was too soon to try to quantify the changes that have taken place so far, but she described the early signs as ‘extremely encouraging’.
‘The recovery of seagrass and maerl, bringing with them their biodiversity and carbon benefits, demonstrates the benefits that marine protected area creation can bring to Jersey’s waters,’ she said.
Marine protection means that fishermen are prohibited from trawling and dredging. The restrictions encourage the growth of valuable species like crab, lobster and scallops, which thrive in shallow waters. Miss Blampied said that it did not make commercial or ecological sense to allow lobsters to be dredged in the search for less valuable species.
‘Observations of juvenile scallops and crustaceans on the maerl beds are a sign of its importance as a nursery habitat, and the sightings of tope in the area indicate that these are healthy and productive habitats,’ she added.
Early signs of recovery in marine habitats ‘extremely encouraging’