Welcome to the St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve

The aims of the Voluntary Marine Reserve (VMR) are:

To conserve the biodiversity of the coastal waters and to raise awareness of the marine environment through education and promote responsible recreational use alongside a sustainable fishery to the mutual benefit of all.

Berwickshire’s coastal waters have long been renowned for their abundance and diversity of marine life. Here cold Arctic currents and warmer currents from the south swirl together and support diverse and abundant marine life so that Arctic wolf fish can be found living side by side with Devonshire cup corals. This website is intended to be an introduction to the stunning underwater habitats and incredible wildlife found within Scotland’s first Voluntary Marine Reserve. We have suggested some activities to help you make the most out of your visit and you can keep up to date with the latest news, sightings and events taking place.

You can help the VMR Marine Ranger to monitor marine life by reporting any exciting sightings and uploading images on our new Report a Sighting form. We are also on the lookout for some specific marine species that you may find on your dive or visit to the shore. Visit the Marine Species Survey form to find out what the species are and report your sightings.

Enjoying the Reserve

If exploring this website inspires you and you feel the need to experience the wildlife of the Marine Reserve for yourself then why not come and visit? There are all sorts of ways that you can enjoy … Read more

About the Reserve

The waters off the Berwickshire coast have long been considered special by marine biologists as they contain a fantastic abundance and diversity of marine life. Add to this clear waters and … Read More