Lyme Bay Reefs on the Devon / Dorset coast is one of the UK’s finest marine wildlife sites and thanks to a successful campaign conducted by the Wildlife Trusts in conjunction with excellent support from members of the public, an area of 60sq miles has been protected from commercial scallop dredging.

I first reported about the Save Lyme Bay Reefs campaign in the posts titled ‘Help save the seaside’ and I would like to thank any GGG readers who supported the campaigning by signing the petition and or writing to Defra.

The Wildlife Trusts have been campaigning for a 60sq mile exclusion zone around Lyme Bay reefs , since concern was highlighted, in the early 1990s, by divers who observed damage to some areas. Survey work by Devon and Dorset Wildlife Trusts has shown that scallop-dredging is damaging the reefs and that time is running out for their preservation.

Lyme Bay is home to around 300 recorded species of plants and animals, including dense populations of the nationally protected pink seafan and the extremely rare sunset coral. As well as a haven for sponges, starfish and coral, the reefs also support a range of seafood animals, including crab, lobster and scallops.

Talking about the success Paul Gompertz, Devon Wildlife Trust’s director, said:

“This is one small step for marine but one giant leap for marine-kind. It finally acknowledges that our seas need vital life-support systems like Lyme Bay reefs. It’s taken 18 years, hundreds of thousands of fundraised pounds, the energy and dedication of many people – and a host of setbacks and heartache along the way. But it has all been worth it – to see a new day dawn for the future of marine conservation in this country. The Government is to be congratulated on a bold step. Now we need to see the exclusions enforced.”

Important Marine Sites

World wide there are a range of important wildlife marine sites that require urgent protection. Whilst it may appear a daunting task to get such sites protected, I think that if conservation organisations work in partnership with one another, engage members of public into the campaigns and lobby MP’s face to face then we can truly save our seas.

Photo Sources

Lyme Bay by North Light: Source Flickr

Scallops by Rory MacNish: Source Marine Photobank