As there is limited knowledge of the biodiversity, variability and condition of inshore fish communities around England, there are repercussions for the efficacy of potential management measures, on estimations of Natural Capital values and on their Ecosystem Service value and contribution to societal goods and benefits.
Natural England commissioned a single piece of work with the ultimate aim of producing a detailed and fully costed monitoring plan for the monitoring of inshore fish populations in the SW of England.
This aim has resulted in the production of 3 linked reports;
1. NECR 269 (Franco, A., Nunn, A., Smyth, K., Hänfling, B. and Mazik, K. (2020a)). A review of methods for the monitoring of inshore fish biodiversity.
2. NECR 270 (Franco, A., Barnard, S. and Smyth, K. (2020b)). An assessment of the viability of fish monitoring techniques for use in a pilot approach in SW England.
3. NECR 271 (this report), (Franco, A., Hänfling, B., Young, M. and Elliott, M. (2020c)). Regional monitoring plan for inshore fish communities in the Southwest of England.
It is intended that the outputs of these linked report be used to underpin a trial of inshore fish monitoring in English inshore water, with the eventual aims of seeking to integrate inshore fish monitoring into the wider UK marine biodiversity monitoring programme