Marine Sites Consultation
The offshore SACs consultation is now
CLOSED
This 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:
1) Braemar Pockmarks;
- 2) Scanner Pockmark;
- 3) North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef;
- 4) Haig Fras;
- 5) Stanton Banks;
- 6) Darwin Mounds;
- 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.
Offshore SACs: SAC Selection
Assessments, Impact Assessments and Site Boundaries
|
Offshore SACs:
Consultation material |
 |
Braemar Pockmarks (Annex I Submarine structures
made by leaking gases)
Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile
of Braemar Pockmarks SAC
boundary (4.1 KB)
|
 |
Scanner Pockmark (Annex I Submarine structures
made by leaking gases)
Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile
of Scanner Pockmark SAC
boundary (4.1 KB)
|
 |
North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef
(Annex I Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water
all the time and Annex I Reefs)
|
 |
Haig Fras (Annex I Reefs)
Site boundary:
Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile of Haig
Fras SAC boundary (4.5 KB)
|
 |
Stanton Bank (Annex I Reefs)
Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile
of Stanton Bank SAC
boundary (4.2 KB)
|
 |
Darwin Mounds (Annex I Reefs)
Site boundary: Download ESRI ArcGIS shapefile
of Darwin Mounds SAC
boundary (4.4 KB)
|
 |
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.]