Ecology isn’t simple. The relationship between species in the environment is dynamic and complex. Evidence building in the UK from Lundy and Arran are showing how crustacean populations develop once no take zones are introduced. It has taken years for such experiments to be allowed in UK and now we should be using this evidence to steer management policies for these species.

Carried in the Scotsman with commentary 

University of York: The first and only fully-protected marine reserve in Scotland is proving highly beneficial for marine conservation and fisheries, with lobsters more than doubling in numbers and increasing in size. The first and only fully-protected marine reserve in Scotland is proving highly beneficial for marine conservation and fisheries, with lobsters more than doubling in numbers and increasing in size. Conducting potting surveys over four years in Lamlash Bay, Firth of Clyde, Scotland, scientists from the Universities of York and Bangor monitored populations of European lobster (Homarus gammarus), brown crab (Cancer pagurus) and velvet swimming crabs (Necora puber). They found that protection in the marine reserve was beneficial for lobsters, with their density, length and weight all being greater than that found at other sites. Catches of egg bearing female lobsters were also twice as high in the reserve, and these females carried an average of 22 per cent more eggs- increasing breeding potential.

Tagging studies also showed that lobsters are spreading out from the marine reserve as numbers grow, thereby boosting local fisheries. However, although adult lobsters are thriving, juvenile lobsters and brown and velvet crab numbers are declining, which may be evidence of competitive displacement or predation. This could be due to the relatively small size of the Lamlash Bay reserve, showing that larger reserves are needed to allow marine ecosystems to recover more naturally.

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