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Public consultation starts on proposed European marine site

Consultation on Studland to Portland possible marine Special Area of Conservation to run until 24th November 2011

A formal public consultation on Studland to Portland possible Special Area of Conservation (pSAC), situated off the Dorset coast, starts today and is being undertaken by Natural England, the Government’s statutory nature conservation adviser.

The proposed marine protected area between Studland to Portland is over 330sq kms – just over half the size of the New Forest National Park – and contains a wide range of diverse, rare reef features. The Studland Bay to Ringstead Bay reefs, for example, are a mixture of exposed shales and clays, limestone, boulders and chalk bedrock. The reefs provide important platforms for colonisation of species such as the sunset cup coral, Weymouth carpet coral, squat lobsters and the reef-building Ross worms. The Portland reefs are characterised by flat bedrock, ledges, cobbles and rugged limestone boulders with deep gullies and overhangs. Communities of barnacles and sponges have made their home in ‘mini caves’ here, with mussel beds found in high densities on the bedrock.

The purpose of this consultation is to seek the views of all interested parties on the scientific case for designation of this possible SAC, and assessing likely economic, environmental and social impacts. Information, such as the consultation guidance document, maps and details of regional public meetings, can be found on Natural England’s web site:
www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/marine/sacconsultation/default.aspxexternal link

The consultation will end on Thursday 24th November 2011. Afterwards, during 2012, Natural England will report to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the responses received during the consultation, and submit the final site recommendation and impact assessment. Once the Government has taken all consultation responses into account, it will decide whether to submit this possible SAC to the European Commission for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network.

Notes to Editors:

1.  Natural England is working as the Government’s statutory nature conservation advisor to identify and propose examples of marine habitats in territorial waters around the coast of England for designation as marine Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) to meet the requirements of the European Habitats Directive.

2. All relevant documents about the public consultation can be found here:
www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/marine/sacconsultation/default.aspx
This includes:
a) The consultation guidance document called ‘Consultation on marine Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) – Studland to Portland’, which includes information about how to respond.
b) Frequently Asked Questions.
c) A map and the Selection Assessment document, which sets out the scientific basis for the site.
d) The socio-economic impact assessment and summary.
Details of dates and venues for public meetings will be confirmed shortly.

3. The reef is being nominated for protection because of:

a) Its rarity.
There are many reef features contained within a small geographical range.

b) Species living on the reef.
The proposed area contains 10 species falling under four different national and international protection schemes ((BAP, OSPAR, CITES, WCA) including five nationally rare species:
Zostera marina (UK BAP, OSPAR and ENG FOCI)
Southern cup coral, Caryophyllia inornata (Nationally rare and CITES)
Sunset cup coral, Leptopsammia pruvoti (Nationally rare, UK BAP and CITES
Devonshire cup coral, Caryophyllia smithii (CITES appendix II) 
Weymouth carpet coral, Hoplangia durotrix (Nationally rare),
Pink sea fan, Eunicella verrucosa (Nationally uncommon, UK BAP, WCA)
A species of sponge, Adreus fasciculrus (Nationally rare),
Ross worm, Sabelleria spinulosa (UK BAP, H1170 reef feature),
Squat lobster, Galathea nexa (Nationally rare in south Britain),
Yellow skirt sea slug, Okenia elegans (locally rare).

c) Its geographical range.
The biogeographical character of the area, selected within the boundaries, is a vital colonisation site for southerly species – and can help to protect and sustain them from the impacts of climate change.

4. The exact size of the possible Special Area of Conservation (pSAC) is: 331.77 sq km.
The size of the reef within the pSAC is 191.76 sq km.

5. Studland to Portland pSAC was originally a component of Poole Bay to Lyme Bay pSAC that was consulted on from November 2009 to February 2010. During the consultation, evidence came to light that the boundary of Poole Bay to Lyme Bay pSAC should be changed. The site was split into two and the westerly part, Lyme Bay and Torbay candidate SAC (cSAC), was submitted to the EC for designation in August 2010. Because significant boundary changes were proposed to the easterly part of the site, Studland to Portland, it is now being made available for further consultation.

6. For further information contact:  Michelle Hawkins, press officer, Natural England
michelle.hawkins@naturalengland.org.uk / 0300 060 1109 / 07775 585 935 / www.naturalengland.org.uk

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