Wolf fish Wolf

Sea slug grazing on sea mat sea on grazing slug Sea Local creel fishermen at work at fishermen creel Local

Dahlia anemone Dahlia

Devonshire cup coral cup Devonshire

has on the marine life. marine the on has

effect that all this activity activity this all that effect

set up to manage the the manage to up set

of its kind in Britain, was was Britain, in kind its of

Marine Reserve, the first first the Reserve, Marine

brought here on the Gulf Stream. Gulf the on here brought in the area. In 1984 the the 1984 In area. the in

and sponges. and

sized Devonshire cup corals, which are are which corals, cup Devonshire sized like trawls, are banned banned are trawls, like

space with creatures like sea anemones anemones sea like creatures with space

Arctic. Dotted here and there are thumb- are there and here Dotted Arctic. or cribs, but mobile gear, gear, mobile but cribs, or

purple and pink seaweeds compete for for compete seaweeds pink and purple

wolf fish, which is more at home in the the in home at more is which fish, wolf using traditional creels, creels, traditional using

their territories. On the shaded forest floor floor forest shaded the On territories. their

places for crabs and lobsters or even the the even or lobsters and crabs for places catch crabs and lobsters lobsters and crabs catch

the forest, hunting for food and guarding guarding and food for hunting forest, the

Cracks and crevices make excellent hiding hiding excellent make crevices and Cracks or walk. Local fishermen fishermen Local walk. or

territorial fish, called ballan wrasse, patrol patrol wrasse, ballan called fish, territorial

a home between them. them. between home a people dive, surf, fish, sail sail fish, surf, dive, people

Ballan wrasse Ballan

grazed upon by colourful sea slugs. Large Large slugs. sea colourful by upon grazed

prawns and fish to make make to fish and prawns

waters every year – – year every waters

Plumose anemone Plumose

decorate the leaves and stems and are are and stems and leaves the decorate

enough space for small small for space enough Tens of thousands of people enjoy these these enjoy people of thousands of Tens

Dead man’s fingers man’s Dead hydroids and sea mats, mats, sea and hydroids

close together allowing just just allowing together close

animals, called called animals,

plumose anemones pack pack anemones plumose Arctic fish. Arctic

thick forests. Strange Strange forests. thick

man’s fingers) and fluffy fluffy and fingers) man’s teeming with life from warm water corals to to corals water warm from life with teeming

or kelps, grow in in grow kelps, or

corals (eerily named dead dead named (eerily corals to attach to, it is not surprising that the sea is is sea the that surprising not is it to, attach to

big brown seaweeds, seaweeds, brown big

currents are strong, soft soft strong, are currents geology providing a solid base for marine life life marine for base solid a providing geology

below low water mark, mark, water low below

carpet the reefs. Where the the Where reefs. the carpet areas, the sea is clean and clear. With the the With clear. and clean is sea the areas,

down to about 8m 8m about to down

this-world marine animals animals marine this-world Being well away from any cities or industrial industrial or cities any from away well Being

In the shallow waters, waters, shallow the In

for plants to survive and a host of out-of- of host a and survive to plants for cold Arctic and warm Gulf Stream currents. currents. Stream Gulf warm and Arctic cold

re is not enough light light enough not is re the water, deeper In he area receive both both receive area he t of waters coastal The of the sea the of

Rainforests Rainforests Life, but not as we know it know we as not but Life, Treasure not for plundering for not Treasure

St Abbs & Eyemouth St Abbs & Eyemouth St Abb’s Head is renowned Voluntary Marine Reserve Voluntary Marine for a breathtaking coastline, beautiful flowers and an Reserve internationally important seabird colony. Few people A Wonderful World realise that the rugged scenery A Wonderful World Beneath the Waves Beneath the Waves and rich wildlife extends below the surface of the waves St Abbs and Eyemouth VMR extends along 8km where submerged gullies and of coast from just north of St Abb’s Head to archways are carpeted with Eyemouth. Follow signs on the A1 for St Abbs, stunningly colourful marine life. Coldingham or Eyemouth. The Voluntary Marine Reserve is a charity with the aims of conserving marine wildlife, raising awareness and promoting responsible recreation. We depend on grants and donations to enable us to carry out our work. Our three main funders are the National Trust for Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and The Crown Estate. You can help support the Marine Reserve by joining the National Trust for Scotland.

Tel: (018907) 71443 Website: www.marine-reserve.co.uk The management of the Marine Reserve is overseen by a committee made up of representatives from the fishing community, the diving community, harbour trusts, conservation organisations and regional and community councils.

Images: Mike Bolam, Ellie Burt, Liza Cole, Peter Davenport, Jim Greenfield, Arthur Kingdon, Peter Ladell, Jack Laws, Anita Marshall, Jane Morgan, Kevin Rideout, Glyn Satterley, S R Warman, Harvey Wood. The ebb and flow of life Food for thought Playing your part Not all of the marine life The tens of thousands of seabirds that nest There are many ways in which you can help is hidden beneath the on the cliffs at St Abb’s Head each summer the conservation effort within Scotland’s only waves. An assortment link the land to the sea. The health of this Voluntary Marine Reserve. internationally important seabird colony of fascinating plants and • When you are out enjoying the Reserve, goes hand-in-hand with the health of the animals are uncovered stick to the Code of Conduct and encourage surrounding sea, as this is where the birds by the ebbing tide each others to do likewise day just waiting to be find food for themselves and their chicks. In • Help out with marine life monitoring, even if discovered. Crabs, prawns, recent years the seabirds have had a hard Snake pipefish it’s just letting the Marine Ranger know if winkles, starfish and sea anemones, to name time of it, struggling to find enough suitable you spot anything interesting or exciting but a few, can be found throughout the year. fish, resulting in a decline in breeding In the summer months they are joined by success. Although it is hard to pin down • Join our volunteer team to record and creatures that come to the shore to breed. the reasons for this, remove litter from the Marine Reserve’s Chains of mating sea hares hide amongst there is evidence shores the seaweed and lay pink or orange strings that climate change • Once home, think about how you can of eggs. A search of large rock pools at very and modern fishing help the marine environment eg by reducing low tide could even turn up a member of the practices are having carbon emissions and buying sustainably seahorse family, the snake pipefish. As with an effect. caught fish. other seahorses, the males brood the eggs, carrying them stuck to their bellies. Kittiwake with chick

Guillemots

Things to see and do Code of Conduct Divers are not the only ones who can • Leave animals and plants where you find appreciate the wildlife of the Marine Reserve – them and take care not to damage them

Mating sea hares there are all sorts of ways to enjoy the • Do not tamper with lobster pots – it is illegal marine life. and dangerous • Walk the coastal path, which runs the • Divers – control your buoyancy and do not length of the Marine Reserve, looking out use spearguns or hooks for seabirds, seals and even the occasional • Take your litter home with you and do not whale or dolphin pollute the sea • Explore the fantastic rock pools at • Avoid losing fishing tackle by using gear Coldingham and Eyemouth suitable for the ground and an appropriate • Go snorkelling to see the marine life of the rig design shallows • Keep your distance from seabirds, seals • Learn more about the area’s marine life on and dolphins to avoid disturbing them a ranger-led event or visit St Abb’s Head • Look out for your safety at all times, check Visitor Centre the tides and keep back from the cliff edge

The Voluntary Marine Reserve is part of the wider Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast European Marine Site. Razorbill Velvet swimming crab Grey seal pup Treasure not for plundering Rainforests Life, but not as we know it The coastal waters of the area receive both of the sea In deeper water, there is not enough light cold Arctic and warm Gulf Stream currents. In the shallow waters, for plants to survive and a host of out-of- Being well away from any cities or industrial down to about 8m this-world marine animals areas, the sea is clean and clear. With the below low water mark, carpet the reefs. Where the geology providing a solid base for marine life big brown seaweeds, currents are strong, soft to attach to, it is not surprising that the sea is or kelps, grow in corals (eerily named dead teeming with life from warm water corals to thick forests. Strange man’s fingers) and fluffy Arctic fish. animals, called plumose anemones pack close together allowing just hydroids and sea mats, Dead man’s fingers Tens of thousands of people enjoy these decorate the leaves and stems and are enough space for small Plumose anemone waters every year – grazed upon by colourful sea slugs. Large prawns and fish to make Ballan wrasse people dive, surf, fish, sail territorial fish, called ballan wrasse, patrol a home between them. or walk. Local fishermen the forest, hunting for food and guarding Cracks and crevices make excellent hiding catch crabs and lobsters their territories. On the shaded forest floor places for crabs and lobsters or even the using traditional creels, purple and pink seaweeds compete for wolf fish, which is more at home in the or cribs, but mobile gear, space with creatures like sea anemones Arctic. Dotted here and there are thumb- like trawls, are banned and sponges. sized Devonshire cup corals, which are in the area. In 1984 the brought here on the Gulf Stream. Marine Reserve, the first of its kind in Britain, was set up to manage the effect that all this activity has on the marine life.

Devonshire cup coral

Dahlia anemone Local creel fishermen at work Sea slug grazing on sea mat Wolf fish