WWF report reveals 'crisis' in UK seas

A report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has revealed a severe crisis in the UK's seas, with several key species identified as being in "serious decline".

The Marine Health Check 2005, which was written by the Marine Life Information Network at the Marine Biological Association of the UK, discovered that thirteen of the sixteen 'flagship' species and habitats investigated are in decline. These include reefs, saltmarshes and coral gravel or maerl beds.

The WWF has blamed inadequate planning and poor management for the severity of the situation and said the damage had been caused by factors such as coastal development, fishing and oil and gas exploitation.

The WWF's first Marine Health Check, carried out in 2000, had warned of potential threats to marine wildlife, such as sad and gravel extraction of pristine areas of the seabed. This follow-up report confirms that these threats are now a reality, alongside other hazards such as pollution and invasion by non-native species.

Jan Brown, WWF Senior Marine Policy Officer, said that the situation in Britain's seas had "clearly worsened". She said: "Our marine heritage is in a shameful state for a maritime nation. To most people, our marine environment is out of sight and out of mind, so its demise is hidden. However, it is not just wildlife that's suffering from poor management of our seas, some coastal towns and villages in many parts of the UK that once thrived on the riches of the seas are now degenerated."

Ms Brown blamed a lack of strategic planning for the problem, saying that it had led to conflicting marine activities and overexploitation in certain areas.

The majority of the damage to habitats has been caused by bottom trawling, dredging and sand and gravel extraction, the WWF's report found. Horse mussel beds, which create a habitat for around 100 other species, are being destroyed by scallop dredging. The survey found that there are now only a few locations around the UK where they remain undisturbed and this has caused severe declines in their numbers.

The report also found that several instances of damage have occurred to maerl beds in the last five years, which provide an important nursery ground for some commercial fish species.

Other species studied in the report include leatherback turtles, pink sea fans, seagrass beds, native oysters and saltmarshes.

The UK's marine legislation has been developed on a sector by sector basis, which, the WWF believes, has resulted in disjointed management and inappropriate planning of the marine environment. The group is now campaigning for strategic spatial planning and an ecosystem approach to be included in the government's forthcoming Marine Bill.

Jan Brown said: "WWF believes that a UK Marine Act is the only real solution to the crisis in our seas. This will require all government departments to realise that the seas are vital, not only for wildlife, but also for the economy."

(KMcA/SP)