Abstract Anthropogenic pressures on the marine environment have escalated and shellfish habitats have declined substantially around the world. Recently, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have rapidly increased in number, but management baselines rarely account for historical conditions. Marine examples of habitat restoration are therefore unusual. An interdisciplinary review of management baselines was undertaken for the Dornoch Firth protected area (NE Scotland) as well as three adjacent inlets and 50 km of open coastline. The protected area has low levels of industrial development, is sparsely populated, and previously achieved management objectives. Here we systematically searched for historical evidence of native oyster (Ostrea edulis) beds, a habitat now rare and of conservation importance throughout Atlantic Europe. Archaeological records, navigational charts, historical maps, museum collections, land-use records, fisheries records, public online databases and naturalists' records were searched. We conducted intertidal and subtidal surveys and sample oyster shells were radiocarbon dated. The combined interdisciplinary sources showed that O. edulis occurred in the inlets and open coast areas of NE Scotland, and specifically in the protected area: Probably since the end of the last glaciation to the late 1800s when they were likely over-fished. Present environmental conditions are also suitable for oyster restoration. Habitat restoration in protected areas is an emerging global theme. However, European oyster restoration effort is currently confined to remnant populations with a clear history of exploitation or dwindling associated fisheries. An interdisciplinary review of baselines will probably show scope for the restoration of O. edulis, for nature conservation, in many other European MPAs.

中文翻译：

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欧洲海洋保护区内缺少原生牡蛎 (Ostrea edulis L.) 床：是否应该进行广泛的恢复性管理？

摘要 人类对海洋环境的压力不断增加，世界各地的贝类栖息地大幅减少。最近，海洋保护区 (MPA) 的数量迅速增加，但管理基线很少考虑历史条件。因此，栖息地恢复的海洋例子是不寻常的。对 Dornoch Firth 保护区（苏格兰东北部）以及三个相邻的入口和 50 公里的开阔海岸线进行了管理基线的跨学科审查。保护区工业发展水平低，人口稀少，以前实现了管理目标。在这里，我们系统地搜索了本地牡蛎 (Ostrea edulis) 床的历史证据，这是一个现在罕见的栖息地，在整个大西洋欧洲具有保护重要性。考古记录，导航图、历史地图、博物馆藏品、土地使用记录、渔业记录、公共在线数据库和博物学家的记录都被搜索了。我们进行了潮间带和潮下带调查，并对牡蛎壳样本进行了放射性碳测年。综合跨学科来源表明，O. edulis 出现在苏格兰东北部的入口和开阔海岸地区，特别是在保护区：可能是从上次冰期结束到 1800 年代后期，当时它们可能被过度捕捞。目前的环境条件也适合牡蛎修复。保护区内的栖息地恢复是一个新兴的全球主题。然而，欧洲牡蛎恢复工作目前仅限于具有明显剥削历史或相关渔业减少的残余种群。