TILES designed to provide homes for sea creatures have been installed on the enclosing walls of Elizabeth Marina as part of a project to improve biodiversity in the Island’s waters.
Ports of Jersey and Jersey Marine Conservation launched the project last week, installing 24 “living wall” tiles at the marina.
The textured, creviced and indented tiles provide places for creatures such as goby fish, limpets, prawns and crabs to live and feed, helping to create a more complete marine ecosystem.
Kevin McIlwee, founder and chairman of Jersey Marine Conservation, said: “It’s not that the harbours are failing, it’s just that there are parts of the harbour, like the concrete walls, which do not lend themselves to sea life because of their smoothness.”
He added: “What we’ve got at the moment is a community that isn’t really functioning.
“It has to be more than just a few shellfish wandering about on the walls. It needs to be these other creatures as well.
“It’s part of a food chain. One creature feeds on another. Some creatures live in harmony with each other.
“That’s what a balanced marine environment is like and that’s what we don’t have on our harbour walls at the moment, but we think we can create it.”
Mr McIlwee said the walls could also become “an incredible educational resource”, allowing children of all ages to see the tiles and learn about biodiversity in Jersey’s marine environment.
It is also hoped that university students in the Island could research the impact of the tiles and write theses about the project.
Although living wall tiles have previously been installed in harbours around the world, Mr McIlwee said Jersey’s approach was innovative and could inspire similar projects elsewhere.
“It’s different to what other places have tried. They’ve just put the tiles on the wall. We’ve reversed them. We’re looking at the angles and where they are,” he explained.
“It benefits the port and marinas in Jersey, but it could have implications worldwide as well.”
A further 24 tiles have been installed at La Collette Marina and on the harbour wall near the rowing club.
The two locations will act as “control sites”.
Their textured walls already support marine activity, allowing the project to assess how the tiles encourage sea life in areas which Mr McIlwee said had a “head start”.
