Accompanying Leigh Howarth on the majority of surveys was COAST chairman Howard Wood with over 37 years experience of diving the waters of the Clyde.  Whilst Leigh heads back to York University to write up all data collected, Howard gives you here his initial thoughts on his summer’s experience.

Spending so much time swimming along the seabed both within and out with the No Take Zone has only confirmed to me just how damaged the seabed is. Although it’s just with my own eyes and as yet not scientifically proven, some areas within the NTZ are just starting to recover with  patches of seabed starting to get a covering of hydroids, bryozoans, anemones, soft corals  and red algae.

One interesting statistic that didn’t surprise me (and will be scientifically recorded) was that while a few  juvenile below 50mm flatfish were recorded in 6.3sq km only 2 Plaice of approx 150mm were recorded. With no Lemon Sole, Dabs, Flounder, Angler fish, Rays or Skate of any type in fact any other type of bottom living flat fish with the exception of a few Topknots.

To me this only confirms what many people have thought for years. The Clyde is indeed a completely changed ecosystem from the place I first dived 37 years ago.

Photos taken during dive surveys in summer 2010 by Angus Robson and Howard Wood

For those of you who like statistics here are a few from COASTs summer of marine surveys around Lamlash Bay and the east coast of Arran.

• 42 Marine surveys were completed between late June to the 22 August.
• An area  of seabed 6.3 km square was surveyed.
• 252 hrs of boat time was logged.
• Each member of the survey team spent up to 401 hrs of volunteer time during the summer.
• 84 cylinders of compressed air were used
• During 2940 minutes of dive time, 252 minutes was spent at 5 meters on safety stops.
• The number of times a Scallop or Queenie  was picked up and  measured  underwater was  762 times.