Established by the local community in 1984, Berwickshire Marine Reserve (BMR) is the first and only voluntary marine reserve in Scotland, home to protected flora and fauna including the priority marine feature horse mussel beds (Modiolus modiolus) which, like Native Oysters, are important reef forming organisms, providing shelter for a wide range of creatures.
The team researched historical records then hired a boat and Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to conduct surveys of the reserve. The information collected was made publicly available for future management plan development.
The project helped strengthen relationships with project partners and enabled the BMR to work closely with the local community, especially with divers and dive boat operators, encouraging them to record any horse mussel sightings.
In 2023 SMEEF was able to provide a total grant of £31,946 to support this work using resources donated by businesses to SMEEF.