JNCC consults on the selection of UK offshore Special Areas of
Conservation (SACs)
20 December 2007
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has today
launched a consultation on the selection of the first seven Special
Areas of Conservation (SACs) for UK offshore waters. These offshore
SACs have been identified to supplement the network of 76
SACs with marine
components, and 72
Special Protection Areas (SPAs) with marine
components, already present in UK coastal and inshore waters
(i.e., within 12 nautical miles of the coast).
JNCC recommended the seven areas as offshore SACs to
Government between 2002 and 2006. The coming into force of
the
Offshore
Marine Conservation Regulations in August 2007 means that the
scientific justification for these sites and their boundaries can
now be consulted upon. The consultation period will last for
12 weeks, and submissions need to be sent to JNCC by 14 March
2008. JNCC will take account of the representations made
during the consultation, and advise Government of a final list of
offshore SACs for submission to the European Commission in time for
their September 2008 deadline.
These seven offshore SACs support important habitats listed in
Annex 1 to the Habitats Directive:
- two of the sites in the northern North Sea (Braemar
Pockmarks and Scanner Pockmark) have been identified for
their “submarine structures made by leaking gases”
habitat;
- one site in the southern North Sea (North Norfolk Sandbanks and
Saturn Reef) has been identified for its shallow sandbanks and also
biogenic reef made by ross worms Sabellaria
spinulosa;
- four sites have been identified for their different types of
reef habitats: Haig Fras in the south west for its bedrock reef,
Stanton Banks between Scotland and Northern Ireland for its bedrock
reef, and Darwin Mounds and Wyville Thompson Ridge, both off north
western Scotland, for cold water coral biogenic reef and boulder,
cobble and bedrock reef respectively.
Deryck Steer, Managing Director of JNCC, said: “This
consultation process gives us the chance to ensure that all
relevant information has been considered in our recommendations,
which will help these sites to be recognised as ones that fully
deserve their high profile and consequent protection”.
The
2007
Offshore SACs consultation document contains summary details
for each of the sites, including scientific justification for their
selection and maps of proposed site boundaries, as well as a list
of organisations that are being consulted. More detailed
documents are available from JNCC’s
marine
consultation page. JNCC has commissioned preliminary
Impact Assessments to assess the implications of these site
designations, and whether there are alternatives. Consultees are
invited to provide more information to improve or correct these
assessments of likely economic impact.
Members of the general public and organisations are also
welcome to comment on the proposed SAC sites and their associated
Impact Assessments.
- ENDS -
Notes to Editors:
- The EC Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive aim to
conserve natural flora and fauna across the European
Community. One of the measures to achieve this is by
establishing a network of protected sites (SACs and SPAs) for rare,
endangered, vulnerable or endemic species of plants and animals,
and those which represent outstanding examples of habitats within
Europe. Further information on the EU Natura
2000 Programme.
- The UK offshore area lies between 12 and 200 nautical miles
from the coast and out to the Continental Shelf designated area.
JNCC is responsible for identifying SACs under the EC Habitats Directive in this sea area.
- The network of terrestrial and coastal Natura sites is largely
complete. There are currently 76 SACs with marine components
and 72 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) with marine components
already designated in coastal and inshore waters in UK.
- UK inshore waters lie from the coastline to 12 nautical miles.
The responsibility of the implementation of the EC Habitats
Directive in this region is that of each of the country agencies
(Natural England, Countryside Council for Wales, Scottish Natural
Heritage and the Council for Nature Conservation and the
Countryside).
- The Annex I habitats for which the list of SACs is not yet
complete are ‘Sandbanks which are slightly covered by
seawater all the time’, ‘Reefs’, ‘Submarine structures made by leaking gases’
and ‘ Submerged or partially submerged sea caves’.
- Further information on the Offshore
SAC Selection process.
- For questions on what will these areas will mean for wildlife
and the environment, and the next stages in the process, contact:
Liz Grundy, Senior Press Officer, Rural, Natural Resources and
Fisheries Desk, Defra Press Office. Direct line: 020 7238 5608.
Email
- For questions on the scientific facts and information related
to why these areas have been chosen, please contact: Charlotte
Johnston, Marine Sites and Strategy Team Leader, JNCC. Direct line:
01733 562626. Email