Saving The Solent's Oysters: How the Blue Marine Foundation is Regenerating One of Europe's Most Vital Fisheries

摘要

As one of Europe's largest native oyster fisheries, the Solent-a straight that separates the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England-was phenomenally successful. At its peak, the strait maintained a fleet of over 160 boats, landing 200 tonnes a year. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, the fishery was booming and in 2006 catch reached a record high. This success was quickly followed by a sharp decline in 2007 as populations crashed and never recovered. Now, native oysters are in an increasingly perilous situation as a lethal combination of anthropogenic and biological impacts are causing significant reductions across Europe.. In a bid to save the native oyster and restore the associated economic and environmental benefits back into the Solent, the Blue Marine Foundation is leading perhaps one of the most important and complex marine regeneration projects of our decade.