A scientific paper describing an increased incidence of disease in European lobsters inside the No-Take Zone of the Lundy Island Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) in the Bristol Channel, UK, was published this week.
The Shellfish Association of Great Britain (SAGB) is questioning whether No-Take Zones are appropriate for the job, following a survey in the Lundy MCZ, sampling both within the No-Take Zone, where all fishing activities are prohibited, and in the Refuge Zone, where pot
fishing is still authorised.
The report shows that although the number of lobsters and their size have increased in the No-Take Zone, in comparison to the fished Refuge Zone, so have the levels of physical injury and shell disease.
The researchers highlight that classical epidemiological theory predicts that increased numbers of lobsters within the No-Take-Zone could increase the risk of disease within the population. This is true for all living species, both marine and terrestrial.
The observed increase in shell disease in the Lundy No-Take Zone is thought to be due to higher levels of aggressive behaviour between competing lobsters, resulting in damage to the carapace that later becomes infected.
Although the potential positive effects of MCZs are well publicised, the potential detrimental effects are less so. This study at Lundy Island highlights the potential for negative effects on important commercial species, and therefore is of particular interest to SAGB. The Swansea University scientists suggest that the cost benefits of such protected areas should be critically assessed and that health monitoring should be included into future management strategies, with the aim of improving marine reserve design and efficacy.
David Jarrad, director of SAGB said, “The SAGB wholeheartedly supports and is actively involved in improving marine conservation and fisheries management. This timely study highlights the importance for independent scientific evidence to inform the use of marine protected areas; we really do need to assess the role of No-Take Zones to ensure that they are the appropriate tool for the job."
