Coastal rewilding and food security: understanding restoration pathways using ecoacoustics and environmental DNA (eDNA)

在1987年的大风暴之前，西苏塞克斯的海藻森林扮演着类似于热带珊瑚礁的角色，充当海鱼和无脊椎动物的托儿所，隔离碳，保护海岸线免受风暴的破坏。这场风暴撕裂了海藻的底床，使底拖网渔船得以进入，扰乱了底物，并停止了曾经常见的海藻生态系统的再生。最近，一项名为“帮助我们的海带”的多方合作努力支持了苏塞克斯近岸渔业和自然保护局(IFCA)的附则，该附则将于2020年生效，限制沿海岸的拖网渔船活动。这是一个令人兴奋的机会，可以恢复英国沿海水域的生态系统结构、功能和可持续的近岸渔业。然而，迫切需要关于当前海藻范围和渔业状况的信息，以建立一个控制基线，以监测该附例生效后的变化。知识方面的主要差距包括：关于海带底层状况的数据；10米(海峡水域中海藻的光限)，因为商业测绘缺乏信息。渔业信息(丰度和多样性)--很难通过传统方法，如网捕或船上观察者获得信息。本DTP汇集海洋生物学专业知识和声纳生境测绘、生态声学和环境DNA(EDNA)新兴领域的专门知识，开发用于快速评估海洋健康和监测的新型工具包。产生的影响数据为农发基金提供了关键信息和新兴技术，用于积极管理海藻栖息地和近岸渔业的恢复工作。所开发的工具已在全球范围内应用于渔业和恢复管理，既有商业用途，也有管制用途。此外，这项研究还支持缓解气候变化，改善当地和区域生态系统服务，促进生态、环境和经济的价值提升。

Before the great storm of 1987 kelp forests of West Sussex played similar roles to tropical coral reefs, acting as nurseries for marine fish and invertebrates, sequestering carbon and protecting the coastline from storm damage. The storm event ripped up kelp beds allowing entry by bottom trawlers disturbing the substrate and halting regeneration of once common kelp ecosystems. Recently a multi-partner effort, 'Help our Kelp' has supported the Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority's (IFCA) bylaw, due in to force in 2020, restricting trawler activity along the coast This is an exciting opportunity to regenerate and 'rewild' UK coastal water restoring ecosystem structure, function and sustainable inshore fisheries.However, information is urgently needed on current extent of kelp and status of fisheries to establish a control baseline to monitor changes once the byelaw comes into force. Major gaps in knowledge include;Data on status of kelp beds at depths <10m (photic limit of kelp in channel waters) as commercial mapping lacks information.Fisheries information (abundance and diversity) - information is difficult to obtain via traditional methods such as netting or onboard observers.ApproachThis DTP brings together expertise in marine biology and emerging fields of sonar habitat mapping, ecoacoustics and environmental DNA (eDNA) to develop novel toolkits for rapid assessment of marine health and monitoring. ImpactData generated provides IFCA with key information and emerging technologies for active management of restoration efforts of kelp habitats and inshore fisheries. The tools developed have application globally for fisheries and restoration management with both commercial and regulatory use. Additionally, this research supports climate change mitigation, improve local and region ecosystem services and value boosting ecology, environment and economy.