Citizen Science is one of the main activities of Moray Ocean Community and we are always keen to try new citizen science surveys – it’s a great way for learning and engaging with local communities but also for getting vital data back to scientists and organisations. We quite like the term ‘community science’ as you don’t have to have any scientific background to take part – just an interest in learning about the coast and following a survey form!
So when we heard that there was an opportunity for citizen or community scientist volunteers to help Nature Scot track an invasive species our volunteers jumped into action!
Read on to find out more from Terrie, Moray Ocean Community Director and Volunteer based in Cromarty.
In autumn this year Moray Ocean Community heard via Nature Scot that slipper limpet shells (Crepidula fornicata) had been found along the Fortrose coastline somewhere. From what we know this invasive species from North America had not yet established in Scotland but had formed dense beds in the south of England and Wales over the last few years. Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) is a species that has been intentionally or unintentionally introduced to a new environment through human activity, and has established itself beyond its original introduction site. INNS are characterized by their ability to spread rapidly and can cause significant ecological damage.
We therefore alerted our volunteer group and in early November I was joined by one of our volunteers and started a search from Fortrose harbour. Unfortunately we found living slipper limpets!
Over the next few days other searches were carried out to the east and west of Fortrose, which discovered more living slipper limpets as well as empty shells .
We can therefore unfortunately say that the slipper limpet has started to establish here in the Moray Firth. This information has been fed straight back to Nature Scot, a local restoration group Mossy Earth and documented on the iRecord App.
Although this is worrying news, it is a massive success story for the importance of citizen or community science! We have the opportunity to tackle this issue while the invasive species is just establishing and from what we can tell, is still just a small population.
So what next? Can they be eradicated or controlled? We will continue to work with official and local groups to keep mapping their presence and plan to search in the subtidal areas using snorkelers. Maybe a local dive group can be convinced to join? Maybe you live near the area and would like to join in? We would love to hear from you!
If you find any of these shells living or empty please follow the information highlighted in the poster shared below or let us at Moray Ocean Community know.
Tags: citizen science, Community