The Irish Sea
The Irish Sea is unique in the UK in being formed in a warm, shallow, sandy basin. It contains roughly 6000 known species and may potentially yield many more. In 2002, in the waters of Rathlin Island, Bernard Picton and Claire Goodwin discovered 21 species of sponge new to science. This highlighted the possibility that further and more detailed studies of our seabed communities may yet yield new species.
Dog Whelk on Barnacle Bed by Paul Naylor.
The muddy, sandy habitats of the Irish Sea are home to a specific set of marine species that have a stronghold in its sediments. The sea mouse, sand mason and lug worms are key elements of this community, as are the millions of trap door hydrobid snails, the burrowing corophium and ragworms beloved of bait diggers. Although very few population studies have been undertaken on the invertebrates of Morecambe Bay, the abundance of our waders and over-wintering wildfowl indicate that these habitats are highly productive and indeed vital global feeding grounds. The highly productive sands and muds off shore and our rich plankton support communities of colonial hydroids such as hornwrack, soft corals such as dead mans fingers and sea weeds that frequently wash up onto our beaches. They also support a good diversity of fish and invertebrates that have historically led to the growth of fisheries for shrimp, bass, plaice, flounder and shell fish such as cockles, mussels, oysters and whelks.
Common Sand Stars on blue mussel bed
by Paul Naylor
Traditionally, the public perception of high quality marine areas has been the turquoise waters of our south coast rocky shores, cold water coral reefs and the colourful wrasse that inhabit them. By contrast, the Irish Sea has been perceived as a poor, brown water cousin to all but us hardy locals. Lugworms and sea mice are just not as photogenic as dahlia anemones and pink sea fans! It is essential that the protection and importance given to marine habitats is not proportionate to beauty as perceived through a diver`s eye. The diverse species and productive habitats of the Irish Sea need the protection they warrant as key examples of importance in the UK.
A very significant event in the conservation of the Irish Sea was the passing into law of the Marine and Coastal Access Act in mid November 2009. This new act makes it a statutory duty to designate an ecologically coherent network of marine protected sites in UK waters and will protect representatives of all UK marine habitats for the first time. The act, however, has the caveat that socio-economic factors may be taken into account in the designation and management of these new areas.
These new sites, known as Marine Conservation Zones, will be added to the existing SSSIs, SPAs and SACs to make up the Marine Protected Areas.
DEFRA lays out its stall in the following paragraph, taken from “Protecting our marine environment through the Marine Bill” 2009 –
“ An’ ecologically coherent network’ means a network of sites big enough to protect rare, threatened and valued habitats throughout our seas; with sites close enough together for species to move between them; and enough sites to conserve a range of habitats that are vital for the health of marine ecosystems. Research by the University of Bangor for Defra suggests a network of sites covering 14-20% of our seas may be sufficient to protect
internationally important species and habitats”.
In a nutshell the process will be -
Bringing together regional stakeholder groups. This process began with a series of meetings this October in Runcorn, Liverpool, Blackpool and Penrith.
Publication of the ecological guidance for site selection
Assessment of potential Irish Sea sites under the ecological guidance by JNCC and NE.
Consultation with stakeholders.
Designation of Marine Conservation Zones by 2012.
Ideally this process will yield highly protected sites to protect vulnerable and important mud, sand and boulder habitats in the Irish Sea. These are termed Highly Protected Marine Conservation Zones (HPMCZ) and are areas where activities that are damaging to habitats and species will be prohibited. These represent the best hope for the recovery of our marine species and habitats back to the vibrant diverse places they once were.
The Wildlife Trusts have campaigned for 8 years for a law that protects and allows the recovery of marine communities and we will be working hard to ensure that we get the maximum protection for local marine life.
Masked Crab by Paul Naylor
Join us in working towards highly protected sites
As the process of finding and agreeing Marine Conservation Zones proceeds there will be key moments where pressure and support from local people who support local marine life will be vital. If you might be willing to write one letter, a blog and represent wildlife at key stakeholder meetings, please contact me. I send out monthly email summaries of the progress so far, including local marine news and information about Irish Sea species. Please email me at Kathrynt@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk
At home
Making changes to your everyday lifestyle can reduce your personal impact on our marine environment. Use reusable bags to stop seals and turtles eating stray plastic ones, thinking that they are jellyfish. Avoid putting toxic chemicals into the drains and reduce, reuse and recycle your rubbish Watch what you flush! Every year hundreds of thousands of used cotton buds and wet wipes end up on our beaches after being flushed down the toilet. Did you know that wet wipes, unlike loo roll, aren't biodegradable?
Dinner
Try, where possible, to avoid eating fish that have been caught in trawling or dredging activities .Plump instead for things that are line-caught, organically farmed and sustainably fished. Do not be afraid to ask when you are choosing what to buy. For more information check out WWF's top tips.
Species records
If you have a local beach then consider letting me know what species you find and when interesting events happen; for instance when the sea urchin wrecks occur, when sea birds get washed in or when the ray egg cases appear. A good beginner’s guide to washed up marine life can be found on the Fylde coast Marine Life Project website under documents and can also be located at Fylde and Wyre libraries.
It’s an exciting time for the protection of our local waters. Watch this space!
Kathryn.
Dr. Kathryn Turner,
Irish Sea Advocacy Officer
For the Wildlife Trusts of Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Wirral and Cheshire.
