A shellfish reef in Devon, previously destroyed by bottom trawling, could be making a comeback thanks to an offshore mussel farm, according to a new study.
Established in 2013, the mussel farm in Lyme Bay, the UK’s largest, has led to significant changes on the seabed beneath it.
Researchers from the University of Plymouth found that the seabed, once muddy sediment, is transforming into biodiverse reefs due to mussels falling from the farm’s lines.
A French map from 1871 suggests that this change may actually be a form of ecological restoration, rather than the creation of entirely new habitats.
The map described a vast area of the seabed from Torquay to beyond Lyme Regis as being home to “rich shell beds,” likely oyster or mussel reefs that were decimated by bottom-towed fishing gear during the 20th century.
With bottom trawling now banned following the designation of the Lyme Bay Marine Protected Area, and the mussel farm located directly above the historic shell beds, the area is once again becoming a haven for shellfish reefs.
The study also noted that these reefs are now providing habitat for commercially important species like lobsters and crabs, indicating a positive ecological shift in the region.
Dr Emma Sheehan, associate professor in marine conservation and senior author on the study, said: “When we first started to monitor the mussel farm in 2013, we hoped to find evidence of its potential to restore the health of the seabed.
“That is something we have shown consistently, with new species of marine flora and fauna regularly being seen within its ropes and on the seabed.
“However, to find out that such habitats were found in the region 150 years ago is really exciting.
“It shows that the farm is not only having a positive impact on the health of the ocean now, but also returning the seabed to some semblance of its former state.”
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