1,054 juvenile lobsters released in the North Sea as part of partnership
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has released 1,054 juvenile lobsters in the North Sea as part of its partnership with the Whitby Lobster Hatchery.
The hatchery works with the local fishing community to hatch and rear juvenile lobsters, before releasing them to help wild populations to thrive.
The fishing community bring ‘berried’ egg-bearing female lobsters to the hatchery and as the eggs hatch, the tiny lobsters are raised in protective tanks to a juvenile stage in approximately eight weeks.
At the juvenile stage, the lobsters have developed claws and can live independently as bottom feeders.
The release was combined with time offshore at Dogger Bank Wind Farm collecting seawater for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, which provides a non-invasive way to monitor marine life without the need for traditional capture and tagging methods.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm has supported the work of the Whitby lobster Hatchery and its Marine Discovery visitor centre for a number of years, helping the project to deliver on its key aims of conservation, education and research.
The wind farm, which is currently in construction off the Yorkshire coast, supported the conservation charity with a release of 1,054 lobsters in the Dogger Bank C nearshore development area.
Joe Moody, head aquaculturist at Whitby Lobster Hatchery, said: “After raising these lobsters from the moment they hatched – counting them, feeding them, keeping their tanks clean – it is always so rewarding to see them released back into the wild at the end of their hatchery journey.
“This release in particular is very exciting due to the unique nature of the site. It offers the possibility of post-release monitoring, so we at the hatchery can know just how well they are doing once they’re back out in the North Sea.
“We are keen to continue our work with Dogger Bank, and learn more about our little lobsters after their time in the hatchery.”
Sarah Reed, offshore consents manager for Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said: “The partnership with the Whitby Lobster Hatchery represents a long-term investment in the biological resilience of the North Sea and the team were delighted to support an offshore release with the opportunity for further research. By releasing lobsters at the juvenile stage the survival rates, compared to lobster eggs hatching in the wild, dramatically increase.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to combine a juvenile lobster release with the trial of new eDNA water sampling equipment and hope it sets the foundations for further research into this important species.”