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(1) Pink Sea-Fan (Eunicella verrucosa) Species Action Plan.
Action plan objectives and targets.
Policy and legislation
Pink seafan is listed as a nationally important feature on the draft marine bill.
Site safeguard and management.
Ensure that the management of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Marine Nature Reserves (MNRs) takes account of the pink sea-fan.
Information on PSF health needs to be included within monitoring of SACs where they occur, even if they aren’t a primary listed feature (under reefs).
Ensure that areas with significant populations of pink sea-fan in non-statutory (voluntary) marine protected areas are identified as being of appropriate sensitivity within management zoning schemes.
Undertake management measures to ensure human activities do not compromise known populations of the species. Submit articles to the angling press to make them aware of the problems caused by discarded line.
Species management and protection
Investigate causes of decline and take the appropriate management response where human activities are implicated.
Further isolation of histological samples needed from locally effected populations.
Needs fully-funded microbial and vibrio assessments of pathogens effecting pink seafan colonies.
Mobile fishing gears need to be restricted in areas of dense PSF colonies, and restriction on any new technology able to exploit rocky steep reefs.
Advisory
Increase awareness among coastal zone management groups, divers and inshore fishermen of the sensitivity of the pink sea-fan in locations where it is known to exist.
Future Research and Monitoring
Continue to monitor the abundance and condition of sea-fans as a part of established monitoring work and ensure that they are included in SAC monitoring programmes, where appropriate.
Needs information on environmental factors affecting PSF colony growth, reproduction and recruitment:
1. temperature effects
2. flow rate effects
3. siltation (critical limits)
4. particle capture rates settlement behaviour of spat.
Provision of data on the healthiest (largest and least damaged) pink seafan populations should be investigated. Information can then be available to managers on what the best conditions for PSF growth can be when they make decisions on relative protection for different areas of seabed.
Undertake a programme of spot surveys in three years between 1999 and 2004. The surveys are to be conducted at locations where pink sea-fan are known to occur, from ‘forest’ areas to areas where abundance is sparse. Sites at the present limit of distribution should also be included. This can be linked to long-term monitoring of climate change. The data to be recorded should include density, size structure, colour, ‘fouling’, percentage ‘infestation’ by predators (the seaslug Tritonia nilsodhneri, and the prosobranch Simnia patula). Data is also required on the occurrence and density of the sea-fan anemone Amphianthus dohrnii (often found attached to the pink sea-fan).
Research the factors which affect recruitment and survival of pink sea-fan. Report by end of 2004.
Communications and Publicity
Provide information on the pink sea-fan and Amphianthus dohrnii. Distribute as appropriate to recreational divers and lobster potters through leaflets, posters, displays and talks.
Consider including in public aquaria (with Amphianthus dohrnii) to increase general awareness of marine biodiversity.
Need to increase the interpretation around the displays, and spend time on presentations and links with schools/dive groups and local NGOs to facilitate information exchange.
PSF studies in aquaria (through collaborations with local university students) can provide useful lab controlled conditions. They should continue to be used for this work.
Synthesise and disseminate data from existing sea-fan monitoring and research programmes as appropriate.
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