News | Jobs | Publications | About JNCC | Accessibility | Contacts
Home  >   Protected Sites  >   Marine sites consultation

Marine Sites Consultation

 

The offshore SACs consultation is now CLOSED

 

Natura 2000 logoThis page contains information on the Offshore Marine Natura consultation process which JNCC undertook on behalf of the UK government. 

 

The Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) Regulations 2007 entered into force on 21st August 2007 and form the legal basis for the implementation of the EC Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) in UK offshore waters. These Offshore Marine Conservation Regulations require the selection of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protected Areas (SPAs) in waters beyond 12 nm of the UK's coast in order to protect offshore species and habitats. Further information on the Offshore Marine Conservation Regulations is available from Defra.

 

The current consultation (20th December 2007 to 14th March 2008) was on the first tranche of possible Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) in UK offshore waters. These sites were put forward by JNCC to the UK Government on the basis of the selection criteria contained within the EC Habitats Directive Annex III, and EC Guidance on implementation of the Natura 2000 network in the marine environment

 

Further information on Marine Natura 2000, the identification of offshore SACs, and the offshore SAC selection process is available from JNCC's website.  

 

The seven possible SACs in UK offshore waters are listed below:

 

Map of Offshore possible SACs thumbnail

1) Braemar Pockmarks;

  1. 2) Scanner Pockmark;
  2. 3) North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef;
  3. 4) Haig Fras;
  4. 5) Stanton Banks;
  5. 6) Darwin Mounds;
  6. 7) Wyville Thomson Ridge.

 

Download an ESRI ArcGIS shapefile of the seven possible SACs boundaries (6 KB)

 

 

 

 

 

(Click on map to enlarge)

 

The aim of this formal consultation was to seek the view of all interested parties on:

 
  • the scientific case for identification of the seven areas as offshore SACs; and
  • the assessments of the likely economic impact of designation of each site.

 

Offshore SAC Consultation Document

 

All the information required to participate in this offshore SAC consultation exercise is summarised in the consultation document below.

 

Wyville Thomson Ridge Iceberg Ploughmark reef © DTI/Defra 2006

 

Consultation document on the selection of offshore Special Areas of Conservation (2007) (1.73 MB)

 

Formal letter of invitation to contribute to the 2007 offshore SAC consultation

 

Feedback was sought on a series of  Consultation Questions (also available in Rich Text Format) which should have been returned to JNCC by 14th March 2008.

 

If you have any queries on the consultation not covered by the material on our website, or by our Frequently Asked Questions, then please contact us.

 

Offshore SACs: SAC Selection Assessments, Impact Assessments and Site Boundaries

 

Full documents for each site are provided in the table below. Note: Draft Conservation Objectives and Advice on Operations for the seven possible SACs are also available but do not form part of the formal consultation.

 

Offshore SACs: Consultation material 
Braemar Pockmarks © Hartley Anderson Ltd, 2005

Braemar Pockmarks (Annex I Submarine structures made by leaking gases) 

Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile of Braemar Pockmarks SAC boundary (4.1 KB)

 

Urticina feline © Sue Scott Scanner Pockmark (Annex I Submarine structures made by leaking gases)

Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile of Scanner Pockmark SAC boundary (4.1 KB)

 

Saturn Reef © BMT Cordah, 2003

North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef (Annex I Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time and Annex I Reefs)

Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile of North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef SAC boundary (4.3 KB)
 
Haig Fras © Ivor Rees, 2000 Haig Fras (Annex I Reefs)
Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile of Haig Fras SAC boundary (4.5 KB)
 
Stanton Bank © MESH, 2006 Stanton Bank (Annex I Reefs)

Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile of Stanton Bank SAC boundary (4.2 KB)

 

Darwin Mounds © Brian Bett, NOC, 1999 Darwin Mounds (Annex I Reefs)

Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile of Darwin Mounds SAC boundary (4.4 KB)

 

Wyville Thomson Ridge Crown Copyright © 2006

Wyville Thomson Ridge (Annex I Reefs)

Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile of Wyville Thomson Ridge SAC boundary (4.5 KB)

 

 
[Copyright information for images in table: Image 1: Copyright © Hartley Anderson Ltd, 2005; Image 2: Copyright © Sue Scott; Image 3: Copyright © BMT Cordah, 2003; Image 4: Copyright © Ivor Rees, 2000; Image 5: Copyright © MESH, 2006; Image 6: Copyright © Brian Bett, NOC, 1999; Image 6: Crown Copyright © 2006.]
| Home | Site Map | Search | Legal | Feedback | List Access Keys |