Introducing Homarus gammarus

Homarus gammurus is the scientific name for the blue European or common lobster. It can live for up to 100 years and in that time can grow to nearly 2 meters in length. It can be found in Cornish waters and also as far away as Morocco and the Mediterranean.

Lobsters come from the family of decapods meaning ten limbed creatures. They have two claws, one for crushing and one for slicing. Their body is protected by strong armour, the main part of this being the carapace at the top of their body.

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The outside of the lobster's shell is known as the exoskeleton. In order to grow they must shed this shell and this is known as moulting. Young lobsters moult up to 25 times in their first five years. Adults moult less frequently and depending on their size, this may occur only every two years. The lobster is at it most vulnerable from predation once it has moulted as the outside shell is very soft . It hides away in rocky crevices until the new exoskeleton becomes hard and it can once again defend itself.

THE LIFE CYCLE OF A LOBSTER

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Losters are sexually mature at five years old. The female lobster is known as a hen and the eggs she carries are known as berries. Mating usually occurs when a female is soft. Once the eggs are fertilised the female carries them with her for about nine months. The females are protected from being caught during this time for a ten month period.

The larvae, onced hatched grow rapidly. This is done in four stages , at stage one they are no bigger than 7mm and look like small shrimp. During stage two and three the larvae start to develope their claws and take on a familar lobster appearance. At stage four they finally look like miniature lobsters. Once they reach three months old and after they have completed their fourth moult, they are strong enough to swim from the surface water to the depths of the ocean. Here they will bury themselves into the soft sediment on the sea bed where they will remain for about two years until they are capable of looking after themselves.

Homarus gammarus -" Orange gold"

In 2006 an estimmated £240m came from total sales at market value . Homarus gammarus landing value brought £26.6m to the southwest region. The mean value of average tonne was £11,000. H. gammarus is four times as lucrative per unit as squid, which is the second most lucrative catch.

At Rick Stein's resturant in Padstow you can expect to spend around £45/£65 for a lobster main course. In the Two-Ten 200 bistro in Falmouth a lobster main course can be around £20/£25.

Lobsters are big earners in the food industry and are highly sought after because of this.

Lobster catches have been in decline in recent years due to advanced fishing methods and the length of time time it takes to reach sexual maturity .

The National lobster hatchery in Padstow is thriving as a consevation and research center for rearing juvenile lobsters to around three months old when they are able to be returned to the sea to fend for themselves. The survival rates of eggs laid in the wild is very low and is thought to be about 0.1 per cent compared with a 40 per cent survival rate for eggs raised by the hatchery.

Even though release rates are good the young juveniles are still vulnerable to predation at this early stage. It can take twenty-four hours for them to settle into their new environment and they may not burrow in the sediment staight away as a result of being moved. It is not possible to keep them at the hatchery for a longer period due to rearing costs and space.

Trials have taken place using cages to rear the lobsters from the benthic stages until they reach a minimum of 4-5cm to increase their chances of survival. Results and survival rates in the cages were positive.

LOBSTER CAGE IN FAL ESTUARY

This study will start with locating at least three different sites for cages to be placed. At each location a study of the water will be recorded, this will include salinity, temperature and tides/currents. Weekly samples for analasis of the water quality will be taken.

At the start of spring, equipment replicating the lobster cages will be put in and the bio-fouling on each unit will be recorded. This will determine natural food sources available for the juveniles.

Cages with juveniles will be placed at locations and study of growth can begin.

Sites that may be used are the mussel farm, Maritime museum and the Fal harbour master's pier.

Business and organisations involved in this project

National Lobster Hatchery - http://www.nationallobsterhatchery.co.uk/

The hatchery is a registered charity and was established in 2000 with a view to conserving wild populations by releasing lobsters back into the wild after being raised through their most vulnerable stages. The NLH has phd and master degree students from plymouth university who are sponsored for the research that is being done. All profits are reinvested directly back into the hatchery. The South West Bivalve Depuration Centre is a partner with the NHL and togther they undertake research work such as ocean acidification, water contamination and sustainablity. The NLH would be key to this study being done as all results would be collaborated with them from the peliminary water quality and bio-fouling studys. The NHL would be a prime candidate to work with and gain sponsorship for this study. It has many links with the aquaculture industry. This particular study is one they want carried out in the uk as trials have only been done in Norway and the Ireland.

Cefas - http://www.cefas.co.uk/

Cefas was created on 1st April 1997 from former Directoate of fisheries Research under the Next Steps programme. It is an executive agency of the Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Cefas is fully accountable to parliment.

They collaborate with UK and international public bodies, industry and consortia to ensure our society benifits from clean, safe, healthly, biologically diverse and productive seas.

A new goverment body- the MMO (Marine Management Organisation) will be created under the Marine and Coastal Access Bill and will be the governments principle marine delivery body. It will rely on scientific evidence to support it's planning and licensing roles so that it can reach decisions on issues such as environmental impacts of planning proposals or fisheries and potential impact of oil or chemical spills.

Cefas is in the unique position to support the MMO, given the openness of the applied science and long-established partnerships with goverment bodies.They work with the European union's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) to monitor and improve the status of the marine environment in European seas. Cefas have also had a major role in developing new expert working groups to work within the criteria for MSFD , these will use and work to develope criteria for international flora such as OSPAR commision (supporting former Oslo and Paris conventions) http://www.ospar.org/ Also included is the inernational council for Exploration of the sea http://www.ices.uk/ . These organisation work together and support MSFD and major new scientific procedures will be generated.

Monitoring the hygiene of shellfish sold to the public is a key issue. Cefas also work with the FSA (food standards agency). They inspect fish farms for compliance with national and international disease regulations. Cefas scientists also assess the impacts of environmental contaminants on the health of all marine life.

DEFRA (department of environmental, food and rural affairs) http://www.defra.gov.uk/ is another agency which is supported by Cefas through partnership. They are able to give research grants to the fishing and farming industy to help ensure the future for these industries.

Turnover for Cefas 2008/9 was £57,100,000 up by 20%on 2007/8. Turnover from Defra was £38,446,000 and accounted for 67% of its work.

£6,203,000 came from other uk goverment departments and agencies from the wider public sector.

FSA which is their second largest customer provided £5,112,000. EU research work saw growth from £1,915,000 07/08 to £3,759,000 demonstrating an increase in international collaboration of work.

Prices increases to customers were kept to 3%.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Cefas have two main laboratories, these are at Weymouth and Lowerstoft. They also have a research vessel called Cefas Endeavour.

On their website there have an employee profiles section where a selection of employees share information on their job and experience of work for Cefas. All vacancies are displayed on the website and you can apply through this for any suitable vancancy. They have career progression programmes and training is paramount to this organisation.

Cefas would be a good employer for me to present my project to. The water quality study of the fal and stock enhancement of lobsters may be of interest to Cefas as the project will be covering some of the issues that they have dealings with. Job prospects may be represented by lab based work or the possiblity of working with any of their aquaculture projects.

Westcountry Rivers Trust

To join this organisation it will cost £24 per year. To become a member and benefactor you pay a minimum of £50 per year but with this comes additional benefits within the trust.

This is a trust project and carries out study's such as water quality testing. They were recently part of a group who under took a pollution study in the Fal river. This was prompted by the mussel growers and oyster dredgers who were concerned by polution issues affecting the river. Funding for this project came from Defra through the Fisheries Challenge Fund, the Seafish Industry Authority and Cornwall County Council. This was part of the Ojective One fisheries programme .

The trust has it own projects that it supports such as the Westcountry Angling Passport, Waste and Recycling and Cornwall Rivers Project . They are about to launch the water project which is part of the EU Collabor8 project.They also have an education programme which can be taken into schools and colleges.

The WRT prefer to recruit people locally and spend time training people who can grow into the post with help and training. This is one company that may be interested in the Fal estuary water quality study as this relates to the work they do. It is a good idea to join the membership scheme as it would be beneficial to be part of this oranisation, with the knowledge that their scientific studies have already collated.

SHELLFISH ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITIAN - http://www.shellfish.org.uk/

The cost to join this organisation is £75 which has remained the same since 2007.

There aim is to assist and promote the sustainable development of the shellfish industry in the UK.

In 2006 shellfish contributed to 48% of the total seafood landings by UK vessels. SAGB represent the views of shellfishies (wild-caught and cultivated) in debates with the goverment and other users of the sea and enviromental organisations.

They were founded as the Oyster Merchants and Planters Association in 1903 and were renamed in 1969. SAGB is the shellfish industry's trade body and the director and staff are based at Fishmongers Hall in London.

The Shellfish Industry Development Strategy (SIDS) is an indusrty-led project funded by Seafish and facilited by SAGB. The aim of SIDS is to support the sustainable and profitable development for this sector. The long term aim is the management of stocks and supporting ecosystems from the socio-economic and enviromental perspectives that are important to delivering SIDS goals.

SIDS is addressing a number of issues that affect the industry as a whole as well as issues that are specific to each sector. Financial support to do this comes from a wide range of organisations such as the Association of Sea Fisheries Committies, The South Devon and Channel Shellfishermen, The National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and The Marine Stewardship Council.

SAGB provides members with representational support on various topics of interest to the shellfish industry. It provides information on a range of subjects including who to contact in government, industry representatives, management of toxin testing and water quality issues surrounding shellfish hygiene and consumer safety. It also promotes the health benefits of eating shellfish and promotes sustainability of fisheries. They are presently working with the Marine Conservation Society to ensure their 'Fishonline' guide for seafood sustainability is up to date. http://www.mcsuk.org/ (Marine conservation Society)

This is a good organisation to be part of as it is up to date with all the shellfish industry information and many in the industry turn to it for advice and support. If you are part of an organisation like this it can be put on your cv so employers can see that you have a vested interest in a sustainable future and current issues.

FALMOUTH HARBOUR COMMISIONERS - http://www.falmouthport.co.uk/

Falmouth Harbour Commissioners were formed by an an Act of Parliament in 1870 and charged with the management of the Harbour and fulfilling the statutory conservancy duties required.

The current harbour area extends out some three miles seaward and includes the southern part of the Carrick Roads and the Eastern section of the Penryn River. In total the the Harbour area comprises of approximately 16 square miles. It has a commercial working port and quays dating back to the 17th century.

Falmouth Harbour is run as a Trust port which is an independent statutory body. It is commercially run and required to reinvest all profits back into the port. The board is managed by a board of 7 trustees and day to day operations are undertaken by a team of 17 full time staff.

Turnover increased from £2.4m in 2007 to £3.5m in 2008, most of the increase seen was due to commercial activities. Falmouth Harbour Commissioners(FHC) continue to act against pollution offences and a case brought against a vessel in July saw a fine of £10,000 being delivered.

They are in partnership withFalmouth Docks and the objective is to improve the port so larger vessels can enter the port bringing in more revenue. FHC recieve finacial support from RDA. The Objective One project has carried out a full environmental impact assement for the proposed dredging . The enviromental management of the harbour is an increasing part of the business.

The Fal Estuary is included under the Fal and Helford SAC (Special Area of Conservation) under the EU Habitats Directive, which protects certain features including Maerl habitats. Any developement propsoals must undergo an economic impact study.

In 2008 a post graduate Maritime Sustainable Development officer was employed to aid research on environmental issues. FHC has regular meetings with Cornwall County Council and the Fal and Helford special area of conservation Management committees. http://www.helfordmarineconservation.co.uk/ (Helford Marine Conservation Group)

There are many organisations who work on the the Fal and come under the direction of the FHC . Cornish mussels and the working oyster dredgers are but a few . The exploitation of the Fal for its produce means that there must be enviromental protection for how it is fished. Any number of these organisations can become a suitable employer . The work undertaken on the study of Lobster cage culture will hopefully assist my future employment prospects by understanding the environmental needs and the needs of the employer.