Biodiversity & Conservation

Importance

Brissopsis lyrifera and Amphiura chiajei in circalittoral mud

SS.SMu.CFiMu.BlyrAchi

<i>%Brissopsis lyrifera%</i> and <i>%Amphiura chiajei%</i> in circalittoral mud

SS.SMu.CFiMu.BlyrAchi recorded () and expected () distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

Marine natural heritage importance

Listed under	EC Habitats Directive UK Biodiversity Action Plan
National importance	Not available
Habitat Directive feature (Annex 1)	Large shallow inlets and bays

Biotope importance

Amphiura chiajei provides an important link between the benthic and pelagic realms because it is an important component of the diet of many fish and invertebrate predators including dab Limanda limanda, haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus and the Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus. These predators do not generally consume the entire brittle star but crop only the arm tips, which are later regenerated.

Exploitation

Nephrops norvegicus is the only species within the biotope that is of any commercial importance. Nephrops fisheries are of major economic importance and the species is fished in biotopes throughout its geographic range, including CMU.BriAchi. This includes both shallow semi-enclosed sea loch areas and offshore grounds in the Irish and North Seas. In British waters the Nephrops fishery has grown rapidly since its inception in the 1950s. Nephrops is now one of the most valuable fisheries in the north-eastern Atlantic (Hughes, 1998(b)). No other species in the biotope are commercially exploited.

Additional information

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This review can be cited as follows:

Budd, G.C. 2004. Brissopsis lyrifera and Amphiura chiajei in circalittoral mud. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 26/05/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatimportance.php?habitatid=139&code=2004>

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Brissopsis lyrifera and Amphiura chiajei in circalittoral mud

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SS.SMu.CFiMu.BlyrAchi

Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN), The Marine Biological Association of the UK, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB.
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