Lyme Bay Emma Sheehan
Over-exploitation of our oceans has degraded biogenic habitats. These habitats act as important nursery and feeding areas for species of conservation and fisheries importance, and provide important ecological and environmental functions including filtering water, binding sediments and capturing carbon. 
Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and the Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECM) effect of offshore structures such as marine renewables, shipwrecks and offshore shellfish aquaculture, if managed to exclude destructive human practices, have the potential to restore the health and functionality of biogenic habitats. 
To inspire and inform ambitious marine policy and management, the aMER unit works closely with regulators and utilises non-destructive techniques such as underwater video and acoustic telemetry to inform best management practices for species and habitats over large spatial and temporal scales.
If you have any queries or would just like to get in touch, drop an email to Dr Emma Sheehan

News

Marine scientist Joanna Harris swimming with a reef manta ray in the Indian Ocean
Scientists call for an update in environmental decision making that takes human rights into account

Researchers argue that global decisions must be guided by our understanding of the inseparable connection between humans and nature

23 August 2024
 

Publications

2024

Bridger D, Attrill MJ, Rees SE, Sheehan EV (2024) The aggregation effect of offshore mussel farming on pelagic fishes. Aquaculture Fish and Fisheries. https://doi.org/10.1002/aff2.165
Gonse M… Stamp T, Davies P, Hall A , Sheehan EV, Woillez M. Combining acoustic telemetry with archival tagging to investigate the spatial dynamic of the understudied pollack, Pollachius pollachius. Journal of Fish Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15750
Mascorda-Cabre L, Sheehan EV, Attrill MJ, Hosegood P (2024) Assessing the impact of an offshore longline mussel farm on local water circulation in a highly hydrodynamic energetic bay. Aquaculture https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2024.740697
Hawkes LA, Davies P, Hall A, Horton T, Stamp, T, Witt M, Sheehan EV. People behind the ‘pings’; limiting authorship threatens collaboration in telemetry. Journal of Fish Biology. http://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15700
Renn C, Rees S, Rees S, Davies BFR, Cartwright AY, Fanshawe S, Attrill MJ, Holmes LA, Sheehan EV (2024) Lessons from Lyme Bay (UK) to inform policy, management, and monitoring of Marine Protected Areas. ICES Journal of Marine Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsad204 

2023

Mascorda-Cabre, L., Hosegood, P., Attrill, M. J., Bridger, D., Sheehan, E. V. (2023). Detecting sediment recovery below an offshore longline mussel farm: a Biological Trait Analysis (BTA) of macrobenthic organisms. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 195, 11. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X23009918

2022

Stamp T, West E, Colclough S, Plenty S, Ciotti B, Robbins T, Sheehan EV (2022) Suitability of compensatory saltmarsh habitat for feeding and diet of multiple estuarine fish species Fisheries Management and Ecology https://doi.org/10.1111/fme.12599
Stamp T, West E, Robbins T, Plenty S and Sheehan EV (2022) Large-scale historic habitat loss in estuaries and its implications for commercial and recreational fin fisheries. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 1–11 DOI: 10.1093/icesjms/fsac141
Lowe, C.D., Tregenza, N.J.C., Allen, C.J. Sheehan E.V. et al.(2022) A novel method for identifying coded tags recorded on aquatic acoustic monitoring systems. Environ Monit Assess194, 806 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10500-2
Bridger D, Attrill MJ, Rees S, Davies B, Mascorda L, Sheehan EV (2022) The restoration potential of offshore mussel farming on degraded seabed habitat. Aquaculture, Fish and Fisheries http://doi.org/10.1002/aff2.77
Blampied S, Rees S, Attrill, M, Sheehan EV (2022) Removal of Bottom-Towed Fishing from Whole-Site Marine Protected Areas Promotes Mobile Species Biodiversity. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. Volume 276, 5 October 2022, 108033 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2022.108033
Davies BFR, Holmes L, Attrill MJ & Sheehan EV (2022) The Ecosystem Benefits of Adopting the Whole-Site Approach to MPA Management. Fisheries Management and Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/fme.12581
Blampied S, Sheehan EV, Binney FCT, Attrill MJ, Rees SE (2022) Value of coastal habitats to commercial fisheries in Jersey, English Channel, and the role of marine protected areas https://doi.org/10.1111/fme.12571
Williams C, Rees S, Sheehan EV, Ashley M, Davies W (2022) Rewilding the sea? A rapid, low cost model for valuing the ecosystem service benefits of kelp forest recovery based on existing valuations and benefit transfers. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, section Conservation and Restoration Ecology. ID: 642775 https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.642775 

2021

Davies BFR, Holmes LA, Bicknell A, Attrill MJ, Sheehan EV (2021) A Decade Implementing Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management Improves Diversity of Taxa and Traits Within a Marine Protected Area in the UK. Diversity and Distributions. 00, 1-16. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ddi.13451 
Stamp T, Clarke D, Plenty S, Robbins T, Stewart JE, West E, Sheehan EV (2021) Identifying juvenile and sub-adult movements to inform recovery strategies for a high value fishery—European bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). ICES Journal of Marine Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsab180
Davies BFR, Holmes LA, Rees A, Attrill MJ, Cartwright A & Sheehan EV (2021). Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management Works – how switching from mobile to static fishing gear improves populations of fished and non-fished species inside a Marine Protected Area. Journal of Applied Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13986
Sheehan EV, Holmes LA, Davies BFR, Cartwright A, Rees A, Attrill MJ (2021) Rewilding of Protected Areas Enhances Resilience of Marine Ecosystems to Extreme Climatic Events. Frontiers in Marine Science https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.671427
Mascorda Cabre L, Hosegood P, Attrill M, Bridger D, Sheehan E (2021). Offshore longline mussel farms: a review of oceanographic and ecological interactions to inform future research needs, policy and management. Reviews in Aquaculture. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/raq.12549
ICES (2021) ICES/IUCN-CEM FEG Workshop on Testing OECM Practices and Strategies (WKTOPS). ICES Scientific Reports. 3:42. 195 pp. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.8135
Rees A, Sheehan EV, Attrill, MJ (2021) Optimal fishing effort benefits fisheries and conservation. Scientific Reports https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82847-4
Rees SE, Ashley M, Evans L, Mangi S, Sheehan EV, Mullier T, Rees A, Attrill MJ (2021) An evaluation of the social and economic impact of a Marine Protected Area on commercial fisheries. Fisheries Research 235: 105819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2020.105819

2020

Hays GC, Koldewey HJ, Andrzejaczek S. et al. (2020) A review of a decade of lessons from one of the world’s largest MPAs: conservation gains and key challenges. Marine Biology 167: 159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-020-03776-w
Gall S, Rodwell L, Clark S, Robbins T, Attrill MJ, Holmes LA, Sheehan EV (2020) The impact of potting for crustaceans on temperate rocky reef habitats: implications for management. Marine Environmental Research 162: 105134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105134.
Bugnot AB, Mayer-Pinto M, Airoldi L, Heery EC, Johnston EL, Critchley LP, Strain EMA, Morris RL, Loke LHL, Bishop MJ, Sheehan EV, Coleman RA, Dafforn KA (2020) Current and projected global extent of marine infrastructure. Nature Sustainability. DOI: 10.1038/s41893-020-00595-1
Morgan A, Sheehan EV, Rees A, Cartwright A (2020) Towards a Marine Socio-ecology of Learning in the South West of England. In: Pontius J., Mueller M., Greenwood D. (eds) Place-based Learning for the Plate. Environmental Discourses in Science Education, vol 6. Springer,Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42814-3_11
Davies P, Britton RJ, Nunn AD, Dodd JR, Crundwell C, Velterop R, Maoiléidigh NÓ, Neill RO, Sheehan EV, Stamp T, Bolland JD (2020). Novel insights into the marine phase and river fidelity of anadromous twaite shad Alosa fallaxin the UK and Ireland. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 30: 1291-1298. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3343
Rees SE, Sheehan EV, Stewart BD, Clark R, Appleby T, Attrill MJ, Jones PJS, Johnson D, Bradshaw N, Pittman S, Oates J, Solandt J-L (2020) Emerging themes to support ambitious UK marine biodiversity conservation. Marine Policy 117: 103864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103864
Davies BFR, Attrill MJ, Holmes LA, Rees A, Witt MJ, Sheehan EV (2020) Acoustic Complexity Index to assess benthic biodiversity of a partially protected area in the Southwest of the UK. Ecological Indicators 111: 106019. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.106019
Solandt J-L, Mullier T, Elliot S, Sheehan EV (2020) Managing Marine Protected Areas in Europe: Moving from ‘feature-based’ to ‘whole-site’ management of sites. In Humphreys J & Clark R (eds), Marine Protected Areas: science, policy and management. Elsevier, Ch 9. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-08-102698-4.00009-5
Solandt J-L, Mullier T, Elliot S, Sheehan EV (2020) Achieving true site integrity: Moving from ‘feature-based’ to ‘whole-site’ management of MPAs post-Brexit. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. In press.

2019

Luff A, Sheehan EV, Parry M, Higgs N (2019) A simple mooring modification reduces impacts on seagrass meadows. Scientific Reports 9: 20062. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-55425-y
Sheehan EV, Bridger D, Nancollas SJ, Pittman SJ (2019) A novel underwater imaging system with computer vision for semi-automated monitoring of mobile marine fauna at offshore structures. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 192. doi: 10.1007/s10661-019-7980-4
Davies P, Sheehan EV (2019) Laser chasing behaviour of wild fishes exploited as a tool to compare space use between size, sex and species. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 35: 1225-1233. doi: 10.1111/jai.13982
Sheehan EV, Hosegood P, Game CA, Attrill MJ, Tickler D, Wootton M, Johns DG, Meeuwig JJ (2019) The effect of deep oceanic flushing on water properties and ecosystem functioning within atolls in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Frontiers in Marine Science 6: 512. doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00512
Sheehan EV, Bridger D, Mascorda Cabre L, Cartwright A, Cox D, Rees D, Holmes LA, Pittman SJ (2019) Bivalves boost biodiversity. Journal of the Institute of Food Science and Technology. 33(2): 18-21. 
Sheehan EV (2019) Motion in the ocean – paradigm shift in movement ecology requires “sedentary” organisms to be redefined. Journal of Animal Ecology 88: 816-819. doi:10.1111/1365-2656.13006
Bicknell AWJ, Sheehan EV, Godley BJ, Doherty PD, Witt MJ (2019) Assessing the impact of introduced infrastructure at sea with cameras: A case study for spatial scale, time and statistical power. Marine Environmental Research 147: 126-137. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.04.007

2018

Sheehan EV, Cartwright AY, Witt MJ, Attrill MJ, Vural M, Holmes LA (2018) Development of epibenthic assemblages on artificial habitat associated with marine renewable infrastructure. ICES Journal of Marine Science doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsy151

2017

Wilding TA, Gill AB, Boon A, Sheehan E, Dauvin JC, Pezy JP, O’Beirn F, Janas U, Rostin L, De Mesel I (2017) Turning off the DRIP (‘Data-rich, information-poor’)–rationalising monitoring with a focus on marine renewable energy developments and the benthos. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 74: 848-859. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2017.03.013
Sheehan EV, Rees A, Bridger D, Williams T, Hall-Spencer JM (2017) Strandings of NE Atlantic gorgonians. Biological Conservation 209: 482-487. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2017.03.020
Heery EC, Bishop MJ, Critchley LP, Bugnot AB, Airoldi L, Mayer-Pinto M, Sheehan EV, Coleman RA, Loke LHL, Johnston EL, Komyakova V, Morris RL, Strain EMA, Naylor LA, Dafforn KA (2017) Identifying the consequences of ocean sprawl for sedimentary habitats. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology in press. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2017.01.020

2016

Sheehan EV, Cousens SL (2016) “Starballing”: a potential explanation for mass stranding. Marine Biodiversity 47: 617. doi:10.1007/s12526-016-0504-3
Bicknell AWJ, Godley BJ, Sheehan EV, Votier SC, Witt MJ (2016) Camera technology for monitoring marine biodiversity and human impact. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 14: 424-432. doi:10.1002/fee.1322
Sheehan EV, Vaz S, Pettifer E, Foster NL, Nancollas SJ, Cousens S, Holmes L, Facq JV, Germain G, Attrill MJ (2016) An experimental comparison of three Towed Underwater Video Systems using species metrics, benthic impact and performance. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 7: 843-852. doi:10.1111/2041-210X.12540
Jackson EJ, Cousens S, Bridger D, Nancollas SJ, Sheehan EV (2016) Conservation inaction in action for Essex seagrass meadows?. Regional Studies in Marine Science 8:141-150 doi:10.1016/2016-210X.12540
Wasson B, Sheehan EV (2016) The first records of Megalomma lanigera(Polychaeta: Sabellidae) from British waters. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 57: 281-283.
Firth LB, Knights AM, Bridger D, Evans A, Mieskowska N, Moore PJ, O’Connor NE, Sheehan EV, Thompson RC (2016) Ocean sprawl: challenges and opportunities for biodiversity management in a changing world. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an annual review 54. doi:10.1201/9781315368597

2015

Sheehan EV, Bridger D, Cousens SL, Attrill MJ (2015) Resilience of dead maerl infaunal assemblages to experimental habitat removal and replacement. Marine Ecology Progress Series 535:117-128. doi:10.3354/meps11400
Sheehan EV, Bridger D, Attrill MJ (2015) The ecosystem service value of living versus dead biogenic reef. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 154: 248-254. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2014.12.042
Rodríguez-Rodríguez D, Rees S, Mannaerts G, Sciberras M, Piried C, Black G, Aulert C, Sheehan EV, Carrierb S, Attrill MJ (2015) Status of the marine protected area network across the English channel (La Manche): Cross-country similarities and differences in MPA designation, management and monitoring. Marine Policy 51: 536–546. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2014.09.021

2014

Stevens TF, Sheehan, Gall SC, Fowell SC, Attrill MJ (2014) Monitoring benthic biodiversity restoration in Lyme Bay marine protected area: Design, sampling and analysis. Marine Policy 45: 310-317. doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2013.09.006

2013

Sheehan EV, TF Stevens, SC Gall, SL Cousens, MJ Attrill (2013) Recovery of a Temperate Reef Assemblage in a Marine Protected Area following the Exclusion of Towed Demersal Fishing. PloS ONE 8: e83883. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0083883
Sheehan EV, SL Cousens, SJ Nancollas, C Stauss, J Royle, MJ Attrill (2013) Drawing lines at the sand: Evidence for functional vs. visual reef boundaries in temperate Marine Protected Areas. Marine pollution bulletin 76: 194-202. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.09.004
Rees SE, Sheehan EV, Jackson EL, Gall SC, Cousens SL, Solandt JL, Boyer M, Attrill MJ (2013) A legal and ecological perspective of ‘site integrity’ to inform policy development and management of Special Areas of Conservation in Europe. Marine pollution bulletin 72:14-21. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.03.036
Sheehan EV, Gall SC, Cousens SC, Attrill MJ (2013) Epibenthic assessment of a renewable tidal energy site. The Scientific World Journal, Article 906180. doi:10.1155/2013/906180

2012

Sheehan EV, Attrill MJ, Thompson RC, Coleman RA (2012) Changes in shorebird behaviour and distribution associated with an intertidal crab fishery. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 22: 683–694. doi:10.1002/aqc.2261

2010 and earlier

2010
Sheehan EV, Stevens TF, Attrill MJ (2010) A quantitative, non-destructive methodology for habitat characterisation and benthic monitoring at offshore renewable energy developments. PLoS ONE 5: e14461. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0014461
Sheehan EV, Coleman RA, Thompson RC and Attrill M.J (2010) Crab-tiling reduces the diversity of estuarine infauna. Marine Ecology Progress Series 411: 137-148. doi:10.3354/meps08668
Sheehan EV, Coleman RA, Attrill MJ , Thompson RC (2010) A quantitative assessment of the response of mobile estuarine fauna to crab-tiles during tidal immersion using remote underwater video cameras. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 387: 68-74. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2010.02.008
2009
Witt MJ, Sheehan EV, Bearhop S, Broderick AC, Conley DC, Cotterell SP, Crow E, Grecian WJ, Halsband C, Hodgson DJ, Hosegood P, Inger R, Miller PI, Sims DW, Thompson RC, Vanstaen K, Votier SC, Attrill MJ, Godley BJ (2009) Assessing wave energy effects on biodiversity: The Wave Hub experience. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A 370: 502-529. doi:10.1098/rsta.2011.0265
Inger R , Attrill MJ, Bearhop S, Broderick AC, Grecian WJ, Hodgson DJ, Mills C, Sheehan EV, Votier SC, Witt MJ, Godley BJ (2009) Marine renewable energy: potential benefits to biodiversity. Journal of Applied Ecology. 46: 1145-1153. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2009.01697.x
2008
Sheehan EV, Thompson RC, Coleman RA, Attrill MJ (2008) Positive feedback fishery: Population consequences of ‘crab-tiling’ on the green crab Carcinus maenas. Journal of Sea Research 60: 255-261. doi:10.1016/j.seares.2008.09.002
2007
Johnson ELG, Attrill MJ, Sheehan EV, Somerfield PJ (2007) Recovery of meiofauna communities following mudflat disturbance by trampling associated with crab-tiling. Marine Environmental Research 64: 409-416. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2007.03.002
 

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