In this month’s Manx Wildlife Trust column, Lara Howe takes a look at the Manx Marine Nature Reserve of Ramsey Bay.

Ramsey Bay Marine Nature Reserve (MNR) was the Isle of Man’s first designated MNR, established in 2011.

However, the journey towards identifying potential marine reserves began in 2008, with the collation of existing data, targeted surveys, and an extensive consultation process involving the fishing industry and local residents.

The aim was to identify the most important habitats and species in Manx waters.

Ramsey Bay quickly became a standout area due to its rich biodiversity and strong local support, and despite some initial concerns from both the fishing industry and conservationists, Ramsey Bay MNR was born.

The effort that went into its creation paved the way for the establishment of nine additional reserves in 2018.

Covering an impressive 96.98 km², Ramsey Bay is the second-largest MNR after the West Coast Reserve (more on that in the next article).

It is also unique in being the only MNR with a co-managed Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ), which makes up nearly half of the reserve.

This model represents a powerful example of collaboration between the fishing industry and conservationists, working together for mutual benefit.

The conservation area is divided into four zones: the rocky coast zone, eelgrass zone, horse mussel zone, and the broader conservation zone. This zoning approach helps to protect vulnerable habitats and species while allowing traditional fishing practices to continue in a sustainable way.

That being said, it hasn’t always been plain sailing. The area has a complex history, particularly with concerns about overfishing of scallops.

This led to an emergency fisheries closure in 2009. Fortunately, this pause gave the scallops time to recover, and by 2013, surveys conducted by DEFA showed encouraging signs of population growth.

When the area reopened, a conservative and cooperative approach was adopted.

Fishing was limited to less than 4% of the FMZ to ensure sustainability. To maintain these efforts, a pre-season survey is now conducted by the industry each year before quotas are set. Additionally, holding the fishery in December helps to maximise the value of the catch.

The four conservation zones were established to protect key habitats within the bay.

The eelgrass zone, while the smallest, plays an important ecological role. It contains the largest eelgrass bed in Manx waters, which has expanded significantly over time, now extending well beyond its original boundaries.

The recent MNR consultation launched by the Isle of Man Government reflects these changes and the ongoing commitment to marine protection.

This data highlights the value of marine protection and the benefits it brings, giving nature the chance to recover and thrive.

Feedback has recently been sought on plans to establish a new Marine Nature Reserve (MNR) off the Isle of Man’s east coast to protect important blue carbon habitats.

The DEFA initiative aims to safeguard newly discovered eelgrass beds off the Laxey coastline and saltmarsh habitat at Cornaa.