Cornish Biodiversity Network  -  Supporting Wildlife Recording

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Cornish Red Data (2009)

The descriptive text, below the map, is from the Cornish Red Data Book (2009). The map on this web page depicts the organisms distribution and shows the records made pre-2000 and those made since.

Ammodytes marinus - Raitt's Sand-eel



Habitat & Distribution

A widely distributed species found throughout the UK and Ireland. It is a benthopelagic species, which may congregate in large schools near the surface or bury itself in the sand. It occurs in both inshore and offshore waters. Traditionally Ammodytes marinus , like other sand-eel species has been little exploited for human consumption but is a major target of industrial fishing for animal feed and fertiliser, particularly in the North Sea. This is the most heavily exploited sand-eel species. Increasing fishing pressure may cause problems for some of their natural predators, especially seabirds, which prey on them in deeper water. This sand-eel has been placed on the UK List of Priority Species and is also an NIMF candidate species. (The English name Lesser Sand-eel is more commonly used for Ammodytes tobianus ).

Source:

I.J. Bennallick, S. Board, C.N. French, P.A. Gainey, C. Neil, R. Parslow, A. Spalding and P.E. Tompsett. eds. 2009. Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2nd Edition.Croceago Press.

The Cornish Red Data Book Project was led by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Federation for Biological Recorders (CISFBR). The full text and species accounts (minus the maps) are available on the CISFBR website.