Dorset's first offshore Marine Protected Area

Long-awaited protection for some of Dorset’s richest marine habitats has been confirmed. The Lyme Bay and Torbay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is one of fifteen new Marine Protected Areas created this month. Following a lengthy selection and consultation process, the UK government has submitted the new areas to contribute to a European network of protected sites, known as Natura 2000. With this formal submission as Candidate SACs comes full legal protection for the sites’ habitats and species.

What wildlife will benefit from the protection?

The Lyme Bay and Torbay SAC includes inshore waters from the western end of Chesil Beach in Dorset to Beer in Devon, including all of the important Lyme Bay Reefs. The SAC status gives protection from activities which damage or threaten the reef habitats, which are very diverse and highly productive. In Dorset, they support a lucrative shellfish potting fishery as well as being important for local diving and angling businesses. The rich wildlife includes the pink sea fan coral, many colourful sponges and anemones and the spectacular Ross coral (also known as potato crisp bryozoan), while fish living on the reefs include the cuckoo wrasse. The SAC will also help to protect the livelihoods of local fisherman and tourism businesses who depend upon the high quality marine environment.

What other important Marine reserves are there in Dorset?

Peter Tinsley, Marine Conservation Officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “We have waited a long time and worked hard for this moment. This European SAC is the first step to what we hope will be a network of protected areas for marine wildlife in Dorset and around the UK, safeguarding the full range of marine habitats found in our waters.”

A second Dorset site is under further consideration. The Portland to Studland Reefs, which include Dorset Wildlife Trust’s long established voluntary Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve, have been singled out by Natural England as exceptionally diverse and further time is being allowed to incorporate new information from Dorset Wildlife Trust’s DORIS seabed mapping project .

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Notes to Editor

For more information please contact Peter Tinsley at Dorset Wildlife Trust on 01305 264620.
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More information about the new SAC
Map showing Lyme Bay and Torbay SAC
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/LBT-map_tcm6-21649.pdf

Defra announcement
http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/2010/08/20/protection-uk-seas/

The new Natura 2000 protected areas
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/marine/sacconsultation/default.aspx#final

About Dorset Wildlife Trust www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
Dorset Wildlife Trust was founded in 1961 to protect the wildlife and natural habitats of the county and now has over 25,000 members and manages over 40 nature reserves. Most are open daily and there are visitor centres providing a wealth of wildlife information at Brooklands Farm, Lorton Meadows, Kingcombe Meadows and Brownsea Island Nature Reserves, The Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve and the Urban Wildlife Centre at Upton Heath Nature Reserve.

The largest voluntary nature conservation organisation in Dorset, DWT plays a key role in dealing with local environmental issues. It leads the way in establishing the practices of sustainable development and engaging new audiences in conservation, particularly in the urban areas.

DORIS Seabed mapping
DORset Integrated Seabed study (DORIS) is a collaborative seabed mapping project involving Dorset Wildlife Trust, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Channel Coastal Observatory which has created a detailed seabed habitat map covering over 800km2 from Swanage to Abbotsbury.
The project, which puts Dorset at the forefront of marine mapping in the UK, has been made possible by a major biodiversity grant of £300,000 from Viridor Credits Environmental Company, through the Landfill Community Fund, to Dorset Wildlife Trust, towards producing a seabed habitat map to identify important marine conservation features in Dorset.
http://tinyurl.com/dorismap