Protection Zones Prove a Boon for Marine Life

TWO marine protected areas set up on the Isle of Man have had a significant effect on sealife there, according to a study by York University.

The areas, one measuring two kilometres square and the other one kilometre square, were closed to fishing by trawlers and dredgers in 1989 and 2003 respectively.

The researchers found that the reproductive biomass of scallops was 33 times greater in the first zone than the surrounding waters.

Scallop catches increased by between 50 and 100 per cent on several nearby fishing grounds between 1989 and 2003.

The newer area, which was seeded with 50,000 juvenile scallops, also saw “dramatic increases” in the density of crabs, starfish, urchins and other such species, with general improvements in overall biodiversity.

The researchers said: “A combination of protected areas and stock enhancement has provided significant benefits to both marine conservation and the scallop fisheries of the Isle of Man.

“Given the success of these schemes and the need to balance the economic importance of UK scallop fisheries with their environmental impact, further use of protected areas to manage scallop fisheries should be greatly encouraged.”

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