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Report Number 542 The Lincolnshire and North Norfolk maritime area: A review of the past and present status of its species and habitats English Nature Research Reports working today for nature tomorrow English Nature Research Reports Number 542 The Lincolnshire and North Norfolk maritime area: A review of the past and present status of its species and habitats Frances Dipper March 2003 You may reproduce as many additional copies of this report as you like, provided such copies stipulate that copyright remains with English Nature, Northminster House, Peterborough PE1 1UA ISSN 0967-876X © Copyright English Nature 2003 THE LINCOLNSHIRE AND NORTH NORFOLK MARITIME AREA: A REVIEW OF THE PAST AND PRESENT STATUS OF IT’S SPECIES AND HABITATS by FRANCES DIPPER Marine Biologist 7 Rutland Green Hilton Huntingdon PE28 9NT March 2003 Summary.......................................................................................................................................... i Summary table ...............................................................................................................................iii 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 1 2 Methods................................................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Species ............................................................................................................................ 2 2.2 Sources of information.................................................................................................... 2 3 Commercial BAP fish species ................................................................................................ 4 3.1 Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua ........................................................................................... 5 3.2 Herring Clupea harengus............................................................................................... 7 3.3 Mackerel Scomber scombrus ........................................................................................ 10 3.4 Plaice Pleuronectes platessa......................................................................................... 11 3.5 Sole Solea solea ............................................................................................................ 14 4 Other commercial fish species.............................................................................................. 17 4.1 Sprat Sprattus sprattus.................................................................................................. 17 4.2 European seabass Dicentrachus labrax ....................................................................... 19 5 Rare or declining fish............................................................................................................ 22 5.1 Sturgeon Acipenser sturio............................................................................................. 22 5.2 Common or blue skate Dipturus batis (Raja batis) ...................................................... 23 5.3 Shad Alosa fallax & Alosa alosa .................................................................................. 25 5.4 Smelt Osmerus eperlanus ............................................................................................. 27 5.5 Sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus and river lamprey or lampern Lampetra fluviatilis30 6 Crustaceans ........................................................................................................................... 32 6.1 Brown shrimp Crangon crangon.................................................................................. 32 6.2 Pink shrimp Pandalus montagui................................................................................... 35 6.3 European lobster Homarus gammarus (H. vulgaris).................................................... 38 6.4 Edible crab Cancer pagurus ......................................................................................... 40 7 Molluscs................................................................................................................................ 43 7.1 Horse mussel Modiolus modiolus................................................................................ 43 7.2 Native or flat oyster Ostrea edulis................................................................................ 46 7.3 The Whelk Buccinum undatum..................................................................................... 49 7.4 Common or edible periwinkle Littorina littorea .......................................................... 52 7.5 Razor shells Ensis spp................................................................................................... 54 8 Worms................................................................................................................................... 57 8.1 Lugworms Arenicola marina and Arenicola defodiens................................................ 57 8.2 Ross worm Sabellaria spinulosa .................................................................................. 58 9 Plants..................................................................................................................................... 63 9.1 Eelgrass or seagrass Zostera spp................................................................................. 63 10 Lagoons and lagoon species.............................................................................................. 68 10.1 Saline lagoons - Habitat................................................................................................ 68 10.2 Starlet anemone Nematostella vectensis ....................................................................... 77 10.3 Lagoon sand shrimp Gammarus insensibilis............................................................... 79 10.4 Other lagoon species..................................................................................................... 82 11 Acknowledgements........................................................................................................... 83 Annex 1. Species considered but not covered in this report......................................................... 84 A1. Houting Coregonus oxyrinchus ........................................................................................ 84 A2. Lemon sole Microstomas kitt............................................................................................ 84 A3. Salmon Salmo salar .......................................................................................................... 84 A4. Macoma balthica................................................................................................................ 84 A5. Lagoon cockle Cerastoderma glaucum ............................................................................ 85 A6. Ragworm and white ragworm (various species)............................................................... 85 A7. Cord grass Spartina spp. ................................................................................................... 85 A8. Samphire or glasswort Salicornia spp. ............................................................................. 85 A9. Mussels (Mytilus edulis) and cockles (Cerastoderma glaucum) ....................................... 86 Annex 2. List of major surveys carried out in the Wash and along the North Norfolk and Lincolnshire coasts........................................................................................................................ 87 Annex 3. References and Bibliography. ....................................................................................... 89 Summary The area covered in this report includes the whole of the Wash and North Norfolk cSAC plus the Lincolnshire coast as far north as the Humber estuary. The aim of this desk study was to identify marine and maritime species and habitats that have disappeared or reduced substantially in distribution and extent and to identify the reasons for any such reduction. The data presented are a compilation of readily available existing information. Sources of information include published literature, grey literature, official reports from various organisations and personal communications from various individuals. Priority was given to species and habitats for which UK BAP Habitat or Species action plans have been drawn up. The information gathered is relatively broad-scale but should be sufficient to allow prioritization of effort aimed at restoration of habitats and species within the area. Further study may then be required for specific habitats or species. For each species or habitat, consideration was given to its general biology, conservation status, present and past distribution, reasons for any observed declines and opportunities for restoration and further research needed. The Wash, the Lincolnshire coast and the Humber estuary are important spawning and nursery grounds for a number of commercial species. A wide variety of commercial marine species are exploited within the Wash and along the adjacent coasts and landed at ports within the Eastern Sea Fisheries Joint Committee (ESFJC) district. Seven commercial fish species were reviewed all of which make a significant contribution to the local economy. Five of these fish are included in the BAP Commercial marine fish Grouped Species Action Plan for the North Sea: cod, herring,