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

在1987年的大风暴之前，西萨塞克斯郡的海带森林扮演着类似于热带珊瑚礁的角色，作为海洋鱼类和无脊椎动物的苗圃，封存碳并保护海岸线免受风暴破坏。风暴事件撕裂了海带床，使底拖网渔船进入，扰乱了基质，停止了曾经常见的海带生态系统的再生。最近，多个合作伙伴的努力，“帮助我们的海带”支持苏塞克斯近海渔业和保护局（IFCA）的附例，由于在2020年生效，限制拖网渔船活动沿着海岸这是一个令人兴奋的机会，再生和“野生”英国沿海水域恢复生态系统结构，功能和可持续的近海渔业。然而，迫切需要有关海带目前范围和渔业状况的信息，以便建立控制基线，以便在条例生效后监测变化。知识方面的主要差距包括：水深<10米的海带床状况数据（水道沃茨的透光极限），因为商业制图缺乏信息。（丰富度和多样性）-信息很难通过传统方法获得，如网或船上观察员。方法这个DTP汇集了海洋生物学和声纳栖息地测绘新兴领域的专业知识，生态声学和环境DNA（eDNA）开发新的工具包，用于快速评估海洋健康和监测。产生的影响数据为IFCA提供了关键信息和新兴技术，用于积极管理海带栖息地和近海渔业的恢复工作。开发的工具在全球范围内可用于渔业和恢复管理，既有商业用途，也有监管用途。此外，这项研究还支持减缓气候变化，改善当地和区域生态系统服务，并促进生态，环境和经济的价值。

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.