Editing Lundy (section)

====Marine habitat====
In 1971, a proposal was made by the Lundy Field Society to establish a marine reserve, and the survey was led by Dr Keith Hiscock, supported by a team of students from [[Bangor University]]. Provision for the establishment of statutory Marine Nature Reserves was included in the [[Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981]], and on 21 November 1986 the [[Secretary of State for the Environment]] announced the designation of a statutory reserve at Lundy.<ref name="lundymnr">{{cite web |url= http://www.lundy.org.uk/island/mnr.html |title=Lundy Island Marine Nature Reserve |access-date=28 May 2014 |publisher=Lundy Field Society |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140529052009/http://www.lundy.org.uk/island/mnr.html |archive-date=29 May 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

There is an outstanding variety of marine habitats and wildlife, and a large number of rare and unusual species in the waters around Lundy, including some species of [[seaweed]], [[Sponge|branching sponges]], [[Gorgonian|sea fans]], and [[Coral|cup corals]].<ref name="lundymnr" />

In 2003, the first statutory No Take Zone (NTZ) for marine nature conservation in the UK was set up in the waters to the east of Lundy island.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.english-nature.org.uk/news/story.asp?ID=444 |title=Protection for Lundy Island's sea life boosted: The First No Take Zone in UK confirmed by Government |work=Press Release |publisher=Natural England |access-date=16 July 2008}}</ref> In 2008, this was declared as having been successful in several ways including the increasing size and number of [[Homarus gammarus|lobsters]] within the reserve, and potential benefits for other marine wildlife.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/0/4E6632DE31F71CBF802573D90053BC51 |title=Natural England says it's time to sink or swim to save our seas |type=press release |publisher=Natural England |via=Wired-Gov.net |access-date=28 May 2014}}</ref> However, the no take zone has received a mixed reaction from local fishermen.<ref>{{Cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7508216.stm |title=Fishing ban brings seas to life |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=16 July 2008 |date=16 July 2008}}</ref>

On 12 January 2010 the island became Britain's first [[Marine protected area|Marine Conservation Zone]] designated under the [[Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009]], designed to help to preserve important habitats and species.<ref name="lmcz">{{cite web |url= http://www.lundymcz.org.uk/ |title=Lundy Marine Conservation Zone |publisher=Lundy Marine Conservation Zone |access-date=18 December 2011 |archive-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111229193004/http://www.lundymcz.org.uk/ |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8453202.stm |title=Lundy sea is England's first Maritime Conservation Zone |date=12 January 2010 |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jan/12/lundy-island-marine-conservation-zone |title=Lundy Island becomes England's first marine conservation zone |date=12 January 2010 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=12 January 2010 |location=London}}</ref>

[[File:Phocoena phocoena.2.jpg|220px|thumb|right|alt=The harbour porpoise is probably the most common cetacean in the waters around Lundy.|The [[harbour porpoise]] is probably the most common [[cetacea]]n in the waters around Lundy.]]
Three species of [[cetacea]]n are regularly seen from the island; them being the [[common bottlenose dolphin|bottlenose dolphin]] (''Tursiops truncatrus''), [[common dolphin]] (''Delphinus delphis''), and [[harbour porpoise]] (''Phocoena phocoena''). Other cetacean species that are sighted from Lundy, albeit more rarely, are the [[Common minke whale|minke whale]] (''Balaenoptera acutorostrata''), [[Risso's dolphin]] (''Grampus griseus''), and [[long-finned pilot whale]] (''Globicephala melas''). [[Basking shark]]s (''Cetorhinus maximus''), [[ocean sunfish]] (''Mola mola''), and [[leatherback sea turtle]]s (''Dermochelys coriacea'') are also seen around Lundy, especially off the more sheltered eastern coast and only during the warmer months. Furthermore, there is a [[grey seal]] (''Halichoerus grypus'') colony consisting of roughly 60 animals that live around the island.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland/discovering-lundy/wildlife/below-the-waves/marine-life/ |title=Marine life |website=LandmarkTrust.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.lundy.org.uk/about-lundy/wildlife-in-the-sea/mammals |title=Mammals |website=Lundy.org.uk |publisher=Lundy Field Society |access-date=7 August 2023}}</ref>