Target species

Introduction

This Appendix briefly introduces, in taxonomic order, those species of marine fauna that may be targeted for collection from the intertidal of rocky and sediment shores in the British Isles. The list includes both species that are taken for human consumption and those used for fishing bait (some are used for both purposes), and for commercial and non-commercial purposes. The list also attempts to draw attention to species and groups of species that are currently under-utilised in the UK, but collected in other areas of Europe, or are very similar to species widely collected in other parts of the world. A few predominantly sublittoral species of high value and commercial importance are also listed, but most of the taxonomic groups that are not collected on the shore do not appear below.

Flowering plants and algae are also gathered from the shore (e.g. Salicornia is taken for consumption from mudflats on the upper shore, at the bottom of the saltmarsh zone, and a wide range of seaweeds are used as fertiliser, for food and occasionally bait), but have not been included in this review.

Unless otherwise specified, the main sources used below were Hayward and Ryland 1995, Howson and Picton 1997, and Fowler 1992.

Phylum Annelida : True Worms

Phylum Crustacea : Crustaceans

Phylum Mollusca : Molluscs

Phylum Echinodermata : sea urchins, starfish, brittlestars and sea cucumbers

Phylum Chordata

References