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

在1987年的大风暴之前，西萨塞克斯的海带森林扮演着与热带珊瑚礁相似的角色，作为海洋鱼类和无脊椎动物的托儿所，隔离碳并保护海岸线免受风暴的破坏。风暴事件撕裂了海带床，使海底拖网渔船进入，扰乱了基材，阻止了曾经常见的海带生态系统的再生。最近，一项多方合作的努力，“帮助我们的海带”支持了苏塞克斯近海渔业和保护管理局（IFCA）的章程，该章程将于2020年生效，限制沿海拖网渔船的活动。这是一个令人兴奋的机会，可以再生和“重新野生”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。但是，目前迫切需要关于海带目前的范围和渔业状况的资料，以便建立一个控制基线，以便在条例生效后监测变化。知识方面的主要差距包括：作为商业制图的深度<10米（海峡水域海带的光极限）的海带床状况数据缺乏信息。渔业信息（丰度和多样性）-信息很难通过渔网或船上观察员等传统方法获得。该DTP汇集了海洋生物学和声纳栖息地测绘、生态声学和环境DNA （eDNA）等新兴领域的专业知识，以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IFCA提供了关键信息和新兴技术，以积极管理海带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商业和监管用途的渔业和恢复管理。此外，本研究还支持减缓气候变化，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.