Lundy – 40 years of marine conservation

byKeith Hiscock

for The Taw and Exmoor branch of the British Naturalists' Association

25th February 2011

Lundy – 40 years of marine conservation• Historical perspectives: early marine studies

• 1980s and 1990s: Monitoring, more research, the statutory marine nature reserve

• The past 10 years: - the No-Take Zone;- more surveys and monitoring;- becoming a ‘Marine Conservation Zone’

• 1960s: Diving and the beginnings of conservation

• 1970s:The voluntary marine nature reserve, research, training and just enjoying the marine life

• 1971: The proposal for a voluntary marine reserve

Break

Historical perspective (pre 1970’s)

• Another naturalist, G. Tugwell returned from Lundy shores in 1851 "laden with all imaginable and unimaginable spoils”.

• The earliest recorded marine biological studies near to Lundy are noted in the work of Forbes (1851) who took dredge samples off the east coast of the island in 1848.

• The first descriptions of the seashore wildlife on Lundy are those published in 1853 by the foremost Victorian marine naturalist and writer, P.H. Gosse.

• Each summer between 1934 to 1937, G.F. Tregelles visited Lundy to collect seaweeds. • The first systematic studies of marine ecology at Lundy were undertaken by Professor L.A. Harvey and Mrs C.C. Harvey together with students of Exeter University in the late 1940's and early 1950's.

• Rev. Charles Kingsley records (in Glaucus: the wonders of the shore, 1890) finding the scarlet and gold coral at Lundy.

In 1969, the first suggestions were made that Lundy could be a marine reserve

My first dives on Lundy in August 1969 – fabulous marine life and the ‘icing on the cake’ – finding the sunset cup coral, first record for Britain.

Photograph taken on 4Photograph taken on 4thth August 1969 August 1969

At the end of September 1969, following the dedication service celebrating the purchase of the island by the National Trust, John Smith of the Landmark Trust was approached about the possibility of a reserve.

Publicity for the marine reserve proposal

In December 1969, Heather Booker (Then Heather Machin) published an article “Conservation in the sea” in the Journal of the Devon Trust for Nature Conservation that specifically suggested Lundy as a possible reserve.

Image: David Harvey

There were several other folks involved in the early days:

Ron Machin, Scientific Officer of the Ilfracombe & North Devon Sub-Aqua Club

John Lamerton, Assistant Regional Officer, Nature Conservancy

Image: David HarveyImage: David Harvey

Formal consultations for a voluntary marine nature reserve started in February 1971

Nature magazine 28th May 1971

North Devon Journal Herald 1st April 1971

Daily Telegraph 21st March 1971

Express & Echo 25th March 1971

Lundy Voluntary Marine Nature Reserve: established (by agreement of the management policy) in 1972 See: Hiscock, K., Grainger, I.G., Lamerton, J.F., Dawkins, H.C. & Langham, A.F. 1973. A policy for the management of the shore and seabed around Lundy. Report of the Lundy Field Society for 1972, 23, 39‑45.

So, what was all of the fuss about?In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, concerns were mainly about divers taking souvenirs – many dried sea fans and sea urchins left the island in tea chests destined to be sold as curios and the population of crawfish was also being decimated by divers and by tangle netting.

And, Lundy has fabulous marine life:

Established richness of the rocky shores – from the words of George Tugwell in 1851, Established richness of the rocky shores – from the words of George Tugwell in 1851, who returned from Lundy “laden with all imaginable and unimaginable spoilswho returned from Lundy “laden with all imaginable and unimaginable spoils””

The greatest variety of marine algae (307+ species) of any one locality in the British IslesThe greatest variety of marine algae (307+ species) of any one locality in the British Isles

A very high diversity of reef habitats (e.g. 30 different habitats – as level 4 biotopes A very high diversity of reef habitats (e.g. 30 different habitats – as level 4 biotopes described by drop-down video - compared with a more usual <15 for such areas).described by drop-down video - compared with a more usual <15 for such areas).

The marine fauna shows great diversity – 753 taxa listed. With the algae, Lundy The marine fauna shows great diversity – 753 taxa listed. With the algae, Lundy has one eighth of the recorded multicellular marine species in the British Isles.has one eighth of the recorded multicellular marine species in the British Isles.

Knoll Pins, 1986

Colourful marine fauna including rare and scarce speciesColourful marine fauna including rare and scarce species

Caryophyllia smithii

Leptopsammia pruvoti

Caryophyllia inornata

Hoplangia durotrix Balanophyllia

regia

0 5 cm

All of the British shallow water corals

Image courtesy of Robert Irving

Rich communities in the undisturbed sediments off the east coastRich communities in the undisturbed sediments off the east coast

Cuckoo wrasse, Labrus mixtus

Rich fish populationsRich fish populations

Seals, Halichoerus grypus

Basking shark, Basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus Cetorhinus maximus (image: David Sims)(image: David Sims) Buoy barnacle, Buoy barnacle, Dosima fascicularisDosima fascicularis

Rich in open water species, including oceanic organismsRich in open water species, including oceanic organisms

Blue jellyfish Blue jellyfish Cyanea lamarkiiCyanea lamarkii

Inventory of the fauna 1971-80

Studies of burrowing species 1974Lab work in the BarnLab work in the Barn

1970s:The voluntary marine nature reserve, research, training ....

Rocky shore surveys - wave -exposed shores

Dead Cow Point, 1977

… ….. preparing interpretive material …... preparing interpretive material ….

Lundy stamps issue:

And, in 2011, a cancellation stamp:

… ….. and just enjoying the marine life.. and just enjoying the marine life

In the 1960’s, 70’s and into the 80’s, diving at Lundy was run by Bristol Channel DiversIn the 1960’s, 70’s and into the 80’s, diving at Lundy was run by Bristol Channel Divers

The 1980s and 1990s: Mapping, monitoring, more research, The 1980s and 1990s: Mapping, monitoring, more research, the statutory marine nature reservethe statutory marine nature reserve

Mapping habitats in 1983Mapping habitats in 1983

In 1984, monitoring sites were established for some of the In 1984, monitoring sites were established for some of the features of conservation importancefeatures of conservation importance

Lundy statutory Marine Nature Reserve: established 21 November 1986

Image: Chris Pirie

Time to come-up for airTime to come-up for air

BREAKBREAKand rolling slide show and rolling slide show

The past 10 years:

Lundy is now an EU Special Area of Conservation, has a No-Take Zone on the east coast and the MNR designation has been changed to ‘Marine Conservation Zone’

The No Take Zone: gains from The No Take Zone: gains from conservation at Lundyconservation at Lundy

Spatial sampling for lobsters & crabs

N

50 km

N orthD evon

S o uthW a le s

Farreference

1

Farreference

2

B ris to lC han ne l

Lundy

N TZ

N earcontro l

1

N earcontro l

2

S1

S2

S1

S1

S2

S2

Abundances of lobsters

ANOVA tests:

• Year x NTZ vs Control:

Non significant

(F3,3 = 0.19, P = 0.89)

• Year x NTZ vs Reference:

Non significant

(F3,3 = 5.25, P = 0.10)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Mea

n n

um

be

r p

er

stri

ng

Lundy NTZ

Lundy Con 1

LundyCon 2

NorthDevon

Ref

SouthWales

Ref

All sizes

Near Far

A next question to address is “what impact, if any, has the increased lobster population had on other benthic species?”

The numbers of Necora puber being caught in traps has fallen since lobster numbers have risen – is there a link?

27

Lundy shores – 60 years onLundy shores – 60 years on

The next day and the next day’s weatherThe next day and the next day’s weather

Sorting quantitative samples from Coralline turfsSorting quantitative samples from Coralline turfs

Measuring toothed topshells – a climate change indicator speciesMeasuring toothed topshells – a climate change indicator species

Subtidal ‘condition’ monitoring – September 2010Subtidal ‘condition’ monitoring – September 2010

Natural England staff undertaking rocky shore surveysNatural England staff undertaking rocky shore surveys

Lundy is changing: alien speciesLundy is changing: alien species

Wire weed Wire weed Sargassum muticumSargassum muticum

Harpoon weed, Asparagopsis armata

Lundy is changing: warming seasLundy is changing: warming seas

Topshell Topshell Osilinus lineatusOsilinus lineatus

Asterina phylactica

New discoveriesNew discoveries

New technology, new images (multi-beam sonar)

Lundy attracts a large numbers of divers

Always, media interest: ‘Coast’ - filmed on 4 & 5 September 2008

And ‘Britain’s secret seas’, May And ‘Britain’s secret seas’, May 2010, screening soon2010, screening soon

And, always new things to do and discover And, always new things to do and discover

www.marlin.ac.uk/learningzone

Finding-out more about marine life

www.ukmpas.org

Finding-out more about marine protected areas

www.lundy.org.uk

www.lundyisland.co.uk

Thankyou