J. M. Murray, G. J. Watson, M. Schaefer and A.J. Bonner Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Portsmouth

Bait collection: conflict with conservation? people seafish in Solent Alters benthic communities and sediment Inter-tidal mud is protected Nereis virens Arenicola marina Sediment impacts in Poole Harbour

Project aims and objectives a) Do bait collectors adhere to the rules? b) Do the MPAs protect biodiversity and habitats? c) Does education change stakeholder behaviour? d) Long-term impacts of collection

Methods 3 sites with management schemes Biotope map each site Sample each site for sediment and macrofauna 2 x CCTV cameras at each site Ask stakeholders about Bait Collectors’ code Fareham Creek Dell Quay Pagham Harbour Camera positions at Pagham Harbour

Do bait collectors adhere to the rules?

Dell Quay (Chichester Harbour) X X Tot. diggers = 0 Tot. diggers = 160 The Rule: Byelaw 28 No digging within 50 ft of any mooring, or within 20 ft. of any causeway, jetty or quay. Video time: North 53 Tides South 51 Tides

DQ: Do they stick to the rules? Mean number of diggers per tide (Mann-Whit, W 51 =3431, p=0.000)

DQ: Where do they dig? Mean number of diggers per tide (Mann-Whit, W 51 =3303, p=0.000)

Fareham Creek The Rule: SNCO No commercial digging in SNCO X X SNCO Tot. diggers =21 Tot. diggers =43 Resident 1 Resident 2 Video time: Resident 1 56 Tides Resident 2 55 Tides

FC: Do they stick to the rules? (W 56 =3021, p=0.07)(W 56 =2662, p=0.0001) Protected Unprotected Resident 1 Resident 2

Pagham Harbour X X Tot. diggers = 0 The Rule: Temporal zonation and license Video time: North East 39 Tides South West 37 Tides

Do the MPAs protect biodiversity and habitats?

Do MPAs protect biodiversity?

Impacts of bait collection

Dell Quay: long-term impacts Loss of fine fraction Reduction in organic content Changes in macrofaunal community

Impacts on birds Camera viewFirst variableSecond variablePearson’s Product Moment Correlation P-value DQ Cam 1Bait diggersAll birds DQ Cam 1Bait diggersWaders DQ Cam 1Bait diggersGulls DQ Cam 1Bait diggersWildfowl DQ Cam 1Bait diggersOthers DQ Cam 3Bait diggersAll birds* DQ Cam 3Bait diggersWaders* DQ Cam 3Bait diggersGulls* DQ Cam 3Bait diggersWildfowl* DQ Cam 3Bait diggersOthers* FC Cam 2Bait diggersAll birds* FC Cam 2Bait diggersWaders* FC Cam 2Bait diggersGulls* FC Cam 2Bait diggersWildfowl* FC Cam 2Bait diggersOthers* Table 19. Correlation analysis for bait diggers and birds within the total area (six zones combined) covered by the camera. DQ Camera 1: 2 nd -9 th March 2012, DQ Camera 3: 18 th -25 th February 2012, FC Camera 1 and 2: 31 st October-6 th November *Identification to species level was not performed for these camera views.

Does education change stakeholder behaviour?

Education: Bait collectors’ Code 20 shops visited: 1.75% had heard of the code 2.75% follow it 3.35% thought it was good

Does local marine conservation work? There are long-term impacts of bait collection Do stakeholders stick to the rules? Yes and No Do MPAs protect habitats and species? Unlikely Does education (a leaflet) work? No, only 5% back-filled their holes

Establish a need e.g. Pagham Harbour Adequate enforcement Compare Dell Quay and Fareham Creek Night time activity Education with teeth Bait collectors’ code Lessons from local conservation

Future work required Map extent of collection Model impacts on birds Ecosystem functional changes Recovery rates of macrofauna

Acknowledgments Resident 1 and 2 Matt Mitchell (Church Farm Haven Holidays) Staff and students of the Institute of Marine Sciences Gary James (Chichester Conservancy Council) Nuffield Foundation Bursary students Solent Forum Rob Carver (Pagham Harbour)