UK Special Areas of Conservation with marine components
Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are special sites
designated under the EC Habitats Directive for habitats and species listed in Annex I and II of the Directive, which came
into force in May 1992. The qualifying marine habitats and species for SACs with
marine components are listed on the JNCC website.
Marine SACs are also known as European Marine Sites (EMS) and form part of the
European network of Natura
2000 sites.
Around 14% of the UK’s marine area has SAC designation,
through 105 sites, 80 of which are in inshore waters, 16 in offshore waters and
nine in both inshore and offshore waters1. To view the sites in more detail
see the JNCC interactive
map.
Criteria for marine
SAC selection is contained within the Habitats Directive and EC Guidance
on implementation of the Natura 2000 network in the marine environment. Candidate SAC sites are submitted to the EU
for approval before being designated as a Site of Community Importance (SCI). The
UK Government then has six years to designate the site as an SAC.
Explanation of site
status:
·
- Special
Areas of Conservation (SACs) are sites that have been adopted by the European
Commission and formally designated by the government of each country in whose
territory the site lies.
- Sites
of Community Importance (SCIs) are sites that have been adopted by the European
Commission but not yet formally designated by the government of each country.
- Candidate
SACs (cSACs) are sites that have been submitted to the European Commission, but
not yet formally adopted.
- Possible SACs (pSACs) are sites that have been formally advised to UK Government, but
not yet submitted to the European Commission.
- Draft SACs (dSACs) are areas that have been formally
advised to UK government as suitable for selection as SACs, but have not been
formally approved by government as sites for public consultation.
Harbour Porpoise pSACs (source)
The SAC network for marine habitats is now thought to be
substantially complete,
while sites for offshore species are still under consideration. The UK received
a Letter of Formal Notice (dated 20 June 2013) from the European Commission,
which outlined their concern about a lack of Special Areas of Conservation
(SACs) for harbour porpoise in the UK under the EU Habitats Directive. In 2016
consultations were held for Harbour Porpoise SACs in England,
Wales,
Scotland and Northern
Ireland. For England, Wales and Northern Ireland,
a consultation report was submitted to Governments by the JNCC and relevant
Country Nature Conservation Bodies on 28th September 2016. The five sites shown in the figure above have been approved by UK Government and were submitted to the European Commission for approval in January 2017. Hence, they are now classified as cSACs.
SAC Management
Entirely intertidal SAC sites can be managed under SSSI/ASSI mechanism,
as most EMS (whole, or part, of a SAC or SPA) are also designated as
SSSIs/ASSIs. The relevant conservation agency provide management views and a
list of operations that require consent. Most subtidal EMS are managed under
the Habitats Regulations 2017 or
Offshore Habitats Regulations 2017.
Management schemes are optional, but the relevant nature conservation body is
required to communicate the conservation objectives for the site, and must also
advise of operations which may cause deterioration or disturbance of the
feature for which the site has been designated. Not all marine SACs have special management
schemes - they are only set up where there is a need for them, which
generally means where there are a lot of different users of a site2.
Draft advice on activities in the Harbour Porpoise pSACs (available
here),
suggests adherence to wildlife codes of conduct for recreational boaters as the
only form of management. For further information on site-specific management
for SACs, look at the MMO strategic management table.
For more information on SAC management, see the JNCC and SNH
websites.
England
English Special Areas of Conservation with marine components
There are 39 SACs in English waters, including five cross-border sites, four that straddle the inshore and offshore
regions, and five entirely offshore sites.
In 2016 consultations were held for Harbour Porpoise SACs in
England,
including the Bristol
Channel pSAC with an area of 5,851 km2, and Southern North Sea pSAC with an area of 36,958 km2. A consultation report was submitted to
Governments by the JNCC and relevant Country Nature Conservation Bodies on 28th
September 2016. Draft advice on activities in the Bristol Channel pSAC and Southern
North Sea pSAC suggested adherence to wildlife codes of conduct for recreational boaters. In January 2017 both sites became candidate SACs (cSACs) as they have been approved by the UK Government and submitted to the European Commission for approval.
Wales
Welsh Special Areas of Conservation with marine components
There are 15 SACs with marine components in Welsh waters, including four cross-border sites, three that straddle the inshore and offshore regions, and one entirely offshore site.
In 2016 consultations were held for Harbour Porpoise SACs in
Wales (see here, here and here),
including the Bristol
Channel Approaches /
Dynesfeydd Môr Hafren pSAC with an area of 5,851km2 (a cross-border
site with England),
West Wales
Marine /
Gorllewin Cymru Forolwith pSAC an area of 7,377km2, and North
Anglesey Marine /
Gogledd Môn Forol pSAC with an area of 3,235km2. A consultation
report was submitted to Governments by the JNCC and relevant Country Nature
Conservation Bodies on 28th September 2016. Draft advice on activities in the North
Anglesey Marine pSAC, West Wales Marine pSAC, and Bristol Channel Approaches pSAC, suggested adherence to wildlife codes of
conduct for recreational boaters.
In January 2017 these sites became candidate SACs (cSACs) as they have been approved by the UK Government and submitted to the European Commission for approval.
Scotland
Scottish Special Areas of Conservation with marine components
The EU Habitats Directive has
been transposed into Scottish law through the Habitats Regulations. There are 48 marine Special Areas of Conservation
(SACs) in Scotland, including two cross-border sites, two that
straddle the inshore and offshore regions, and nine entirely offshore sites.
The Inner Hebrides
and Minches SAC for harbour porpoise was designated on 22 September 2016, following the consultation that ended in May 2016. Covering over 13,800km2, it is the largest
protected area in Europe for harbour porpoise, and protects over 5,000 individuals3.
Northern Ireland
Northern Irish Special Areas of Conservation with marine components
In Northern Ireland
designation of SACs with Marine Components is carried out jointly by DAERA
Marine and Fisheries Division, and NIEA Natural Environment Division.
There are nine SACs with marine components in Northern Irish waters, including one cross-border site, one site straddling the inshore and offshore regions, and one offshore site. Sites
include Murlough SAC, North Antrim Coast SAC, Rathlin Island SAC, Red
Bay SCI, Skerries and Causeway
SCI, Strangford Lough SAC, and The Maidens SCI, with further
information available on the DAERA website.
In intertidal areas and estuaries, marine SACs are often underpinned as ASSIs.
The 2016 consultations on harbour porpoise cSACs, led by JNCC, included the North Channel pSAC (see here and here), with an area of 1,604 km2. The
consultation report was submitted to Government on 28th September
2016. Draft advice on activities in the North Channel pSAC suggested adherence to wildlife codes of conduct for recreational boaters. In January 2017 this site became a candidate SAC (cSAC) as it has been approved by the UK Government and submitted to the European Commission for approval.
[1] http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-1445
[2] http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-areas/international-designations/sac/marine-sac-management/
[3] http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-areas/2016-harbour-porpoise-consultation/
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