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.
Habitat & distribution
Found on rocky substrata in 20-80m depth of water off the south and west coasts of the British Isles.
Threats
This once common species around the Cornish coastline has severely declined in numbers due to over-fishing, mainly by the use of bottom floating gill nets.
Conservation
The introduction of a minimum carapace length has helped in conservation of stock size. This species is on the UK List of Priority Species.
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.