Berwickshire Marine Reserve
The Berwickshire Marine Reserve (BMR) is the first and only voluntary marine reserve which was established by the local community in 1984. The BMR covers a marine area of 10.3km2 and stretched from Eyemouth to St Abbs Head. The aim of the BMR is to protect the habitats and species found here and to ensure that all users of the reserve are responsible in their activities. Our work involves educating the public to increase interest in the marine environment and promoting responsible use. The BMR is also involved in a number of conservation research projects to help monitor marine species/habitats and thus feed into decision making and management of BMR users (for example, fisherman).
- Animal Welfare, Education / Learning / Training, Environment / Recycling, Sport / Leisure / Recreation, Young People
- The Hippodrome Harbour Road, Eyemouth, TD14 5HS
- berwickshiremarinereserve.org.uk
- Report this organisation
Current opportunity
New citizen science project recording the presence and abundance of marine species present on the rocky shore to allow for long-term monitoring of this habitat.
We have partnered with NatureScot, along with other voluntary organisations around Scotland, to contribute to a growing database on the health of coastal intertidal habitats. This is the first year the BMR has been involved with the programme. From this year we are aiming to obtain a baseline of data and will achieve this through undertaking rocky shore intertidal assessments at 4 study sites (St Abbs, Coldingham Bay, Milldown & Killiedraughts beach).
Intertidal rocky shore community monitoring will be undertaken four times per year to gain insight into the seasonal changes of fauna and flora present in the reserve. Each year we aim to build upon the data, creating a long-term data set of (potentially) changing diversity. Analysis of the presence and abundance of fauna and flora can be compared to the temperature logging records to reveal any (potential) relationships. Data collected will also be fed back to NatureScot and shared with the relevant organisations.