Many people are surprised to find out that we have reefs which are home to corals in the UK. Some of the most spectacular reefs in the UK are found in Lyme Bay. They contain over 300 species of plants and animals, including a variety of rare and endangered species.

To find out what all the seabed in Lyme bay looks like see our Lyme Bay Mapping and Management pages.

Valuable reefs

As well as their conservation value the reefs provide essential habitat for many commercial fish species. Fishermen target these areas for edible crabs, lobsters, scallop and a variety of fish. The development of some commercial fisheries has brought with it problems and and this has prompted action from the Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT).

Under threat

Concern about the reefs was highlighted to DWT in the early 1990s by divers who observed damage to some areas. DWT conducted an extensive survey in 1998 and confirmed that the reefs were under pressure. A further video survey in 2000 showed that scallop dredging was the cause of the damage.

At this time there were three reefs identified of particular interest and concern:

• Beer Home Ground – south of Beer
• Lanes Ground – south of Lyme Regis
• Saw Tooth Ledges – south of West Bay

Since this original work, further surveys have come to light and identified a much greater area of reef habitat that is at risk from this destructive type of fishing. For the latest survey work see our Lyme Bay Mapping and Management pages.

Beer Home Ground Video