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The Severn Estuary European
Marine Site
Dr. Joe Green
Lead Marine Adviser, South West Regional Seas Team
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Contents
• The Severn in context
• Legislative background
• Overview of Severn designations
• Focus on:
– SAC
– SPA & Ramsar site
– SSSIs
• The role of Natural England
• Current work areas
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The Severn in context - geography
• Largest example of a coastal plain estuary/flooded river
valley? in the United Kingdom
• One of the largest estuaries in Europe - area of 73,678
ha
• Immense tidal range – physical environment and the
diversity and productivity of the biological communities.
• Tidal range 12.3 m at Avonmouth – 2nd largest in world
• Macrotidal environment related to the funnel shape - tidal
wave concentrated as it moves up the Channel.
• Tidal currents amplified and move at between 1.5 - 3
metres p/s3
4
The Severn in context – anthropological influences
• The Estuary and its coastal hinterland support the cities
of Cardiff, Bristol, Newport and Gloucester.
• Major industries include port installations, chemical
processing companies and nuclear power stations
• Commercial shrimp fishing, salmon fishing, an important
eel fishery.
• Aggregate extraction also occurs within the estuary
• Land reclamation since the Roman period - influenced
character of marginal wetlands
5
Copyright: TPBC Copyright: BBC
Copyright: www.ultraprt.co.uk Copyright: Sir Robert McAlpine
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The Severn in context
• Alongside these competing activities, the Estuary
supports a wide range of habitats and species of
International importance for nature conservation.
• Site is 2/3 subtidal and 1/3 intertidal
• European Marine Site (EMS)
• SSSI’s
• Cross border site
Unique management challenge
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Severn’s conservation designations
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Legislative background
European:
– Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)
• EC Habitats Directive
• Article 3 - European network of important high-quality
conservation sites
• Conserve 189 habitat types and 788 species identified in
the Directive
– Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
• EC Birds Directive
• For rare and vulnerable birds (Annex 1) and regularly
occurring migratory species
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Legislative background
International:
– Ramsar site
• Protects wetlands under Ramsar Convention
• Ramsar sites in England are protected as European
sites
• Often underpins SPAs
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Overview of designations
National:
– Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
• The country's very best wildlife and geological sites
• Protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1984
(as amended)
• Largely terrestrial designation, rarely extending below
the Low Water Mark.
Collectively, these designations make up part of a network of Marine
Protected Areas (MPAs)
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Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Designated 2009
• Mudflats and sandflats not
covered by seawater at low tide
• Estuaries*
• Atlantic salt meadows
• Sandbanks which are slightly
covered by sea water all the
time
• Reefs
• Sea lamprey
• River lamprey
• Twaite shad
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Special Protection Area (SPA)
• Classified in 1995
• Internationally important
numbers of passage and
overwintering birds (4.1)
• A wetland of International
importance (4.2)
• Intertidal mudflats and
sandflats, saltmarsh,
shingle and rocky shore
also protected
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Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
• Bridgwater Bay SSSI
– Saltmarsh; Reedbed; Intertidal
mudflats; Vascular plants; Grazing
marsh; Aggregations of non-
breeding birds
• Severn Estuary SSSI
– Saltmarsh; Reedbed; Intertidal
mudflats; Vascular plants;
Invertebrate assemblages; Grazing
marsh; Aggregations of non-
breeding birds
• Steep Holm SSSI
– Maritime cliff and slope; Vascular
plant
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• Whole estuary ecosystem is
designated
– Dynamic natural processes (biological
chemical and physiological)
– Characteristic associated biological
communities (invertebrates, plants,
birds and fish).
• Extensive subtidal sandbanks in outer
estuary
– Specialised communities
– Biogenic reefs of Sabellaria alveolata,
– Only known location of subtidal reefs in
England
Severn’s features
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The role of Natural England
• Responsible for advising Government and industry on
marine conservation and seascape issues in England’s
territorial waters (>12 nm offshore).
• Ensuring that our seas are ecologically healthy and that
biodiversity is maintained/recovered
• Advise a range of Government departments
• Ensure that the use and management of the marine
environment outside protected areas, is more sustainable.
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The role of Natural England
To ensure delivery of the long-term benefits the government wants and
that the natural environment needs – Natural England’s role is to provide
practical advice, grounded in science, on:
• Designation of MPAs
• MPA conservation objectives and operations that may impact site
features
• Monitoring and reporting on the MPA network
• Issues and legislation supporting implementation of Government policy
and international commitments
• Licensing and consenting of sea uses
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Current work areas – Severn (major casework)
Nationally significant projects
• Steart peninsula
realignments (EA, TBPC)
• Hinkley Point C
• Severn Barrage
• The Bristol Port Company
deep water expansion
Deliverables
Statutory advice:
• Liaising with LA’s and
developers
• HRA documents
• EIA’s
• Scoping reports
• Pre application
requests
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Current work areas (other casework)
Other casework – locally/regionally
significant
• Maintenance to coastal structures
• Dredging applications
• Fisheries/shellfisheries applications
or licences – advice to regulators
• Coastal redevelopments/defences
• Proposals for new leisure
facilities/activities 23
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Our work with other agencies
• EA
• EA Wales
• CCW
• Devon and Severn
IFCA
• Wildlife Trusts
• DECC
• DEFRA
• CEFAS
• MMO
• JNCC
• Local Authorities
• Landowners
• Local businesses and
industries
• Port and Harbour
authorities
• SEP25
Thank you
Dr. Joe Green
Lead Marine Adviser
0300 060 2797
www.naturalengland.org.uk
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