SACs with Marine Components

Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are designated for habitats and species listed on the Habitats Directive. SACs with marine components are defined as those that contain qualifying marine habitats or species.

 

There are currently 81 SACs with marine components, covering 2% of the UK sea area. A list of the SACs and their qualifying marine features is available and an ESRI shapefile of the sites can be downloaded. Information on the management status of these sites is also available.

 

76 of these SACs are in inshore waters, 5 are in offshore waters. On the land and in the sea out to 12 nautical miles the identification of SACs is the responsibility of the country conservation agencies. Beyond 12 nautical miles JNCC is responsible for the identification of SACs.

 

There are four marine habitats and four marine species present in UK waters away from the coast for which the European Commission has stated that additional SACs must be designated. JNCC and the country conservation agencies are currently working to identify additional sites.

 

JNCC is liasing with other Member States over international features for which SACs are likely to be designated such as the Dogger Bank, which extends into Dutch and German waters, and Bassurelle Sandbank which lies primarily in French waters.