The importance of public engagement for maerl conservation: Insights from Scotland

IF 2.5 3区 环境科学与生态学 Q3 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Lina M. Rasmusson
{"title":"The importance of public engagement for maerl conservation: Insights from Scotland","authors":"Jason M. Hall-Spencer,&nbsp;Lina M. Rasmusson","doi":"10.1002/aqc.4162","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Effective marine monitoring and conservation efforts are urgently needed because anthropogenic pressures such as overfishing, habitat damage, pollution and invasive species are increasing (Laffoley et al., <span>2022</span>). Public engagement activities can enhance marine monitoring efforts, providing valuable observations and increasing ocean literacy in society (Boaventura et al., <span>2021</span>). Sharing knowledge about marine wildlife in accessible ways, such as digital media and at interactive workshops, can greatly increase the involvement of people in protecting their local environment. Marine citizen science is growing globally (Garcia-Soto et al., <span>2021</span>; Kelly et al., <span>2020</span>) ranging from specific environmental issues (e.g. plastic pollution; Rambonnet et al., <span>2019</span>), habitat protection (e.g. seagrass meadows; Smale et al., <span>2019</span>) or a focus on certain taxa (such as seaweeds; Brodie et al., <span>2023</span>).</p><p>Most UK marine citizen science initiatives have been driven by non-governmental organizations (Garcia-Soto et al., <span>2021</span>). Examples include <i>Project Seagrass</i>, a Welsh University-led organization that combines research, public involvement and outreach activities to share seagrass knowledge and restore seagrass meadows (www.projectseagrass.org). More than 800,000 habitat and species observations have been reported to the UK National Biodiversity Network by <i>Seasearch</i>. This group of SCUBA divers and snorkelers are trained by the Marine Conservation Society and have been collecting data for marine conservation since 1988, greatly expanding the known distribution of maerl (www.seasearch.org.uk). Seasearch maerl data were used to inform the design of a network of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Seasearch continues to build a database with maerl distribution records to inform future conservation and management initiatives and is working with Natural England to help improving maerl habitat classification (Angus Jackson, pers. comm.).</p><p>Maerl is a seabed habitat made up of coralline algae thalli that grow unattached to substrata (Figure 1). Maerl habitats occur worldwide and have high ecological, socio-economic and cultural value but are far less well known or studied than habitats such as coral reefs, kelp forests or seagrass beds (Tuya et al., <span>2023</span>). This habitat harbours high biodiversity and provides nursery areas for commercially valuable species such as cod and scallops and spawning areas for herring (Hall-Spencer, <span>2023</span>).</p><p>Scottish Natural Heritage (now called NatureScot; www.nature.scot) funded a workshop which drew together researchers from Europe and North and South America (Donnan &amp; Moore, <span>2003</span>) who noted that maerl is particularly sensitive to physical disturbance such as towed demersal gear impacts, it is now known to also be sensitive to fish farm wastes (Hall-Spencer, <span>2023</span>).</p><p>In a region where maerl was being heavily damaged by scallop dredging (Hall-Spencer &amp; Moore, <span>2000</span>), the <i>Community of Arran Seabed Trust</i> (COAST) paved the way in establishing Scotland's first No Take Zone in 2008 to protect maerl. Local divers and COAST worked alongside academic scientists to monitor the seabed recovery that occurred after scallop dredging was stopped, sending the clear message that citizen science can help change policy and improve the marine environment (Stewart et al., <span>2020</span>). Maerl is now a Priority Marine Feature in Scotland and is on the OSPAR list of threatened and declining species and habitats. It is an Annex 1 habitat in the EU Habitats Directive and is on the European Red List of endangered and threatened habitats (Perry &amp; Tyler-Walters, <span>2023</span>). Donnan &amp; Moore (<span>2003</span>) provided a scientific basis for the establishment of a tranche of SAC and MPAs with maerl listed as a Priority Marine Feature (Table 1 and Figure 2). These lines on maps drawn by government are now being used by citizens and community groups to monitor the protected areas and call for stricter controls on illegal or damaging activities, and a Priority Marine Feature review by NatureScot is ongoing to try to improve protection given to maerl outside the network of named protected areas.</p><p>Founded in 2015, the <i>Blue Hope Alliance</i> (BHA) is a coalition of groups and people interested in protecting marine ecosystems and biodiversity in northwest Scotland, with a special focus on maerl (www.bluehopealliance.co.uk). It was created due to growing concern about illegal scallop dredging and the expansion of fish farms in the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area, the largest maerl protected area in the world (Baker et al., <span>2023</span>). The groups include the Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation, North and West District Salmon Fishery Board, Sea Change Wester Ross, Wester Ross Area Salmon Fishery Board and SubSea TV. The alliance is supported by a scientific advisory group and has volunteer anglers, Marine Conservation Society <i>Seasearch</i> divers and snorkelers, scallop divers, underwater photographers, recreational divers and community coordinators with experience of journalism, storytelling, filmmaking and artistry (Baker et al., <span>2023</span>). In total, around 70–80 volunteers are involved in the work at different levels, with, for example, cooking during surveys, diving, arranging public arrangements or maintaining or lending equipment (Sara Nason, pers. comm.).</p><p>After illegal scallop dredging within the Wester Ross MPA was reported in 2019 by local fishermen to Alasdair Hughson, member of the Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation and one of the founders of BHA, volunteers from BHA documented damage from the dredging and presented the video and photo material as evidence in court, together with a witness testimony of A. Hughson (Sara Nason, pers. comm.). The skipper in charge of the fishing vessel was later fined £3211 (COPFS – Crown Office &amp; Procurator Fiscal Service, <span>2022</span>). This case highlights that engaged local people can record and quickly report illegal damaging activities to the authorities, thereby protecting the fragile habitats contained in the marine ecosystem.</p><p>The BHA coalition has been surveying, observing change and communicating the need to protect the marine environment with SCUBA diving fixed transect maerl surveillance since 2018 to follow alterations in the structure and abundance of the maerl beds over time. These data are openly available on the BHA web page, and it can also be found at NatureScot. The survey locations are concentrated around the Summer Isles, Loch Broom, Loch Carron and Loch Ewe (MPA 3 and 4; Figure 2). Voluntary divers from BHA have extended the known maerl habitat distribution around the Summer Isles, and they have recorded new marine species for the geographical area (the red speckled anemone <i>Anthopleura ballii</i> and the sea slug <i>Placida dendritica</i>) as well as the critically endangered flapper skate <i>Dipturus intermedius</i>. Another intriguing discovery is that flame shell (<i>Limaria hians</i>) nests seem to be spreading and smothering several maerl beds in the region, so transects have been set up by BHA members to monitor the situation. A Sea Change Wester Ross group submitted a protest to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) against establishment of a new fish farm at Horse Island. The SEPA outcome gave the farmers a Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations (CAR) license; however, the farming has not yet started. The BHA transects might prove useful to follow maerl status before and after farm establishment. The BHA strives to increase ocean literacy by arranging public events showcasing films about the importance of maerl (Baker et al., <span>2023</span>). The BHA is also supporting emerging groups, Maerl Friends of Loch Torridon and groups in Loch Ewe and Applecross, focusing on maerl conservation with knowledge sharing, survey protocols and scientific advice to create linkages and joint efforts in protecting maerl (Sara Nason, pers. comm.).</p><p>In conclusion, citizen science and community engagement by COAST and the BHA have managed to (i) increase knowledge of maerl abundance and status, (ii) monitor maerl habitats over time, (iii) promote maerl importance in political discussions, (iv) document and report illegal activities damaging maerl and (v) promote public awareness and engagement within the local and wider public. These examples demonstrate the importance of volunteer organizations for maerl conservation that could be applied elsewhere where maerl is at threat such as in Iceland from gravel extraction and Brazil from oil spills (Tuya et al., <span>2023</span>). They show how public engagement can aid maerl conservation by gathering a diverse group of people with different skill sets, with efforts made to translate essential scientific evidence into key messages that speak well to policymakers and public. Local environmental activists can feel that this is a ‘David against Goliath’ task but are prepared to stand up to corporate power, persist in the face of slow decision making and feel rewarded when destructive practices abate.</p><p>The authors declare no conflict of interest.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.4162","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.4162","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

Effective marine monitoring and conservation efforts are urgently needed because anthropogenic pressures such as overfishing, habitat damage, pollution and invasive species are increasing (Laffoley et al., 2022). Public engagement activities can enhance marine monitoring efforts, providing valuable observations and increasing ocean literacy in society (Boaventura et al., 2021). Sharing knowledge about marine wildlife in accessible ways, such as digital media and at interactive workshops, can greatly increase the involvement of people in protecting their local environment. Marine citizen science is growing globally (Garcia-Soto et al., 2021; Kelly et al., 2020) ranging from specific environmental issues (e.g. plastic pollution; Rambonnet et al., 2019), habitat protection (e.g. seagrass meadows; Smale et al., 2019) or a focus on certain taxa (such as seaweeds; Brodie et al., 2023).

Most UK marine citizen science initiatives have been driven by non-governmental organizations (Garcia-Soto et al., 2021). Examples include Project Seagrass, a Welsh University-led organization that combines research, public involvement and outreach activities to share seagrass knowledge and restore seagrass meadows (www.projectseagrass.org). More than 800,000 habitat and species observations have been reported to the UK National Biodiversity Network by Seasearch. This group of SCUBA divers and snorkelers are trained by the Marine Conservation Society and have been collecting data for marine conservation since 1988, greatly expanding the known distribution of maerl (www.seasearch.org.uk). Seasearch maerl data were used to inform the design of a network of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Seasearch continues to build a database with maerl distribution records to inform future conservation and management initiatives and is working with Natural England to help improving maerl habitat classification (Angus Jackson, pers. comm.).

Maerl is a seabed habitat made up of coralline algae thalli that grow unattached to substrata (Figure 1). Maerl habitats occur worldwide and have high ecological, socio-economic and cultural value but are far less well known or studied than habitats such as coral reefs, kelp forests or seagrass beds (Tuya et al., 2023). This habitat harbours high biodiversity and provides nursery areas for commercially valuable species such as cod and scallops and spawning areas for herring (Hall-Spencer, 2023).

Scottish Natural Heritage (now called NatureScot; www.nature.scot) funded a workshop which drew together researchers from Europe and North and South America (Donnan & Moore, 2003) who noted that maerl is particularly sensitive to physical disturbance such as towed demersal gear impacts, it is now known to also be sensitive to fish farm wastes (Hall-Spencer, 2023).

In a region where maerl was being heavily damaged by scallop dredging (Hall-Spencer & Moore, 2000), the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) paved the way in establishing Scotland's first No Take Zone in 2008 to protect maerl. Local divers and COAST worked alongside academic scientists to monitor the seabed recovery that occurred after scallop dredging was stopped, sending the clear message that citizen science can help change policy and improve the marine environment (Stewart et al., 2020). Maerl is now a Priority Marine Feature in Scotland and is on the OSPAR list of threatened and declining species and habitats. It is an Annex 1 habitat in the EU Habitats Directive and is on the European Red List of endangered and threatened habitats (Perry & Tyler-Walters, 2023). Donnan & Moore (2003) provided a scientific basis for the establishment of a tranche of SAC and MPAs with maerl listed as a Priority Marine Feature (Table 1 and Figure 2). These lines on maps drawn by government are now being used by citizens and community groups to monitor the protected areas and call for stricter controls on illegal or damaging activities, and a Priority Marine Feature review by NatureScot is ongoing to try to improve protection given to maerl outside the network of named protected areas.

Founded in 2015, the Blue Hope Alliance (BHA) is a coalition of groups and people interested in protecting marine ecosystems and biodiversity in northwest Scotland, with a special focus on maerl (www.bluehopealliance.co.uk). It was created due to growing concern about illegal scallop dredging and the expansion of fish farms in the Wester Ross Marine Protected Area, the largest maerl protected area in the world (Baker et al., 2023). The groups include the Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation, North and West District Salmon Fishery Board, Sea Change Wester Ross, Wester Ross Area Salmon Fishery Board and SubSea TV. The alliance is supported by a scientific advisory group and has volunteer anglers, Marine Conservation Society Seasearch divers and snorkelers, scallop divers, underwater photographers, recreational divers and community coordinators with experience of journalism, storytelling, filmmaking and artistry (Baker et al., 2023). In total, around 70–80 volunteers are involved in the work at different levels, with, for example, cooking during surveys, diving, arranging public arrangements or maintaining or lending equipment (Sara Nason, pers. comm.).

After illegal scallop dredging within the Wester Ross MPA was reported in 2019 by local fishermen to Alasdair Hughson, member of the Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation and one of the founders of BHA, volunteers from BHA documented damage from the dredging and presented the video and photo material as evidence in court, together with a witness testimony of A. Hughson (Sara Nason, pers. comm.). The skipper in charge of the fishing vessel was later fined £3211 (COPFS – Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service, 2022). This case highlights that engaged local people can record and quickly report illegal damaging activities to the authorities, thereby protecting the fragile habitats contained in the marine ecosystem.

The BHA coalition has been surveying, observing change and communicating the need to protect the marine environment with SCUBA diving fixed transect maerl surveillance since 2018 to follow alterations in the structure and abundance of the maerl beds over time. These data are openly available on the BHA web page, and it can also be found at NatureScot. The survey locations are concentrated around the Summer Isles, Loch Broom, Loch Carron and Loch Ewe (MPA 3 and 4; Figure 2). Voluntary divers from BHA have extended the known maerl habitat distribution around the Summer Isles, and they have recorded new marine species for the geographical area (the red speckled anemone Anthopleura ballii and the sea slug Placida dendritica) as well as the critically endangered flapper skate Dipturus intermedius. Another intriguing discovery is that flame shell (Limaria hians) nests seem to be spreading and smothering several maerl beds in the region, so transects have been set up by BHA members to monitor the situation. A Sea Change Wester Ross group submitted a protest to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) against establishment of a new fish farm at Horse Island. The SEPA outcome gave the farmers a Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations (CAR) license; however, the farming has not yet started. The BHA transects might prove useful to follow maerl status before and after farm establishment. The BHA strives to increase ocean literacy by arranging public events showcasing films about the importance of maerl (Baker et al., 2023). The BHA is also supporting emerging groups, Maerl Friends of Loch Torridon and groups in Loch Ewe and Applecross, focusing on maerl conservation with knowledge sharing, survey protocols and scientific advice to create linkages and joint efforts in protecting maerl (Sara Nason, pers. comm.).

In conclusion, citizen science and community engagement by COAST and the BHA have managed to (i) increase knowledge of maerl abundance and status, (ii) monitor maerl habitats over time, (iii) promote maerl importance in political discussions, (iv) document and report illegal activities damaging maerl and (v) promote public awareness and engagement within the local and wider public. These examples demonstrate the importance of volunteer organizations for maerl conservation that could be applied elsewhere where maerl is at threat such as in Iceland from gravel extraction and Brazil from oil spills (Tuya et al., 2023). They show how public engagement can aid maerl conservation by gathering a diverse group of people with different skill sets, with efforts made to translate essential scientific evidence into key messages that speak well to policymakers and public. Local environmental activists can feel that this is a ‘David against Goliath’ task but are prepared to stand up to corporate power, persist in the face of slow decision making and feel rewarded when destructive practices abate.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Abstract Image

公众参与对珊瑚礁保护的重要性:苏格兰的启示
该联盟由一个科学咨询小组提供支持,并拥有志愿垂钓者、海洋保护协会 Seasearch 潜水员和浮潜员、扇贝潜水员、水下摄影师、休闲潜水员以及具有新闻、讲故事、拍电影和艺术创作经验的社区协调员(贝克等人,2023 年)。总计约有 70-80 名志愿者在不同层面参与了这项工作,例如,在调查期间做饭、潜水、安排公共安排或维护或借用设备(萨拉-纳森,个人通讯)。2019 年,当地渔民向苏格兰克里尔渔民联合会(Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation)成员、BHA 创始人之一阿拉斯戴尔-休格森(Alasdair Hughson)举报了韦斯特罗斯海洋保护区内的非法扇贝采挖活动,BHA 的志愿者记录了采挖活动造成的损害,并将视频和照片资料作为证据提交法庭,同时提交的还有阿拉斯戴尔-休格森的证人证词(Sara Nason,pers. comm.)。渔船船长后来被处以 3211 英镑的罚款(COPFS - Crown Office &amp; Procurator Fiscal Service,2022 年)。这一案例突出表明,参与其中的当地人可以记录并迅速向当局报告非法破坏活动,从而保护海洋生态系统中的脆弱栖息地。自 2018 年以来,BHA 联盟一直在通过 SCUBA 潜水固定横断面贻贝监测来调查、观察变化并宣传保护海洋环境的必要性,以跟踪贻贝床结构和丰度随时间推移而发生的变化。这些数据可在 BHA 网页上公开获取,也可在 NatureScot 网站上找到。调查地点主要集中在夏季岛、布鲁姆湖、卡伦湖和埃维湖周围(MPA 3 和 4;图 2)。来自 BHA 的自愿潜水员扩大了夏日岛周围已知的沼泽栖息地分布,并记录了该地理区域的新海洋物种(红色斑点海葵 Anthopleura ballii 和海蛞蝓 Placida dendritica)以及极度濒危的瓣鳐 Dipturus intermedius。另一个有趣的发现是,火焰贝(Limaria hians)的巢穴似乎正在蔓延,并窒息了该地区的几处淤泥床。韦斯特罗斯海洋变化组织向苏格兰环境保护局(SEPA)提交了一份抗议书,反对在马岛建立新的养鱼场。苏格兰环保局的结果是给养殖户颁发了《水环境(受控活动)(苏格兰)条例》(CAR)许可证,但养殖尚未开始。BHA 的横断面可能有助于跟踪养殖场建立前后的马尾藻状况。BHA 通过安排公众活动,播放有关马勃藻重要性的影片,努力提高海洋知识水平(Baker 等人,2023 年)。BHA 还支持新兴团体--托里顿湖贻贝之友(Maerl Friends of Loch Torridon)以及埃维湖(Loch Ewe)和阿普尔克罗斯(Applecross)的团体,通过知识共享、调查协议和科学建议来重点保护贻贝,从而建立联系,共同努力保护贻贝(Sara Nason,pers.comm.)。总之,COAST 和 BHA 的公民科学和社区参与已经成功地(i)增加了对马尾藻丰度和现状的了解,(ii)对马尾藻栖息地进行了长期监测,(iii)在政治讨论中宣传马尾藻的重要性,(iv)记录和报告破坏马尾藻的非法活动,(v)在当地和更广泛的公众中提高了公众意识和参与度。这些例子说明了志愿者组织对保护马尾藻的重要性,可以应用于马尾藻受到威胁的其他地方,如冰岛的砾石开采和巴西的石油泄漏(Tuya 等人,2023 年)。他们展示了公众参与如何通过聚集具有不同技能的不同群体来帮助保护马尾藻,并努力将重要的科学证据转化为能够很好地传达给政策制定者和公众的关键信息。当地的环保活动家可能会觉得这是一项 "大卫对抗歌利亚 "的任务,但他们已经准备好与企业力量抗争,面对缓慢的决策过程坚持不懈,并在破坏性做法减少时感受到回报。
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来源期刊
Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 环境科学-海洋与淡水生物学
CiteScore
5.50
自引率
4.20%
发文量
143
审稿时长
18-36 weeks
期刊介绍: Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems is an international journal dedicated to publishing original papers that relate specifically to freshwater, brackish or marine habitats and encouraging work that spans these ecosystems. This journal provides a forum in which all aspects of the conservation of aquatic biological resources can be presented and discussed, enabling greater cooperation and efficiency in solving problems in aquatic resource conservation.
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