 web.jpg "Short-snouted seahorse (Credit Paul Naylor)")
Short-snouted seahorse (Credit Paul Naylor)
Hosting a greater number of habitats and species eligible for protection than any other site, this area is the biodiversity jewel of the South-East.
Naturally exposed reef hosts assemblages of sponges, anemones and corals.
The area is a national stronghold of the peacock’s tail seaweed and one of only two sites in the South East where both species of seahorse have been found.
The kaleidoscope stalked jellyfish has also been found here: one of only two locations in the region which supports this beautiful and delicate species.
Bembridge is the only known regional location of maerl. This fragile, calcareous, red seaweed resembles a knotted mass of twigs and provides lots of shelter for other species.
Mud dominates in the north and is home to one of very few regional examples of spoon worms. These bizarre creatures have brains in their long tongues, which extend out of the burrows in search of food.
This recommended Marine Conservation Zone is ON HOLD at the moment as Defra has indicated that there is not enough evidence to support designation.
We need you to urge Defra to commit to gathering additional data and consider this site for designation in the next tranche. The site should be protected from additional damage and degradation in the meantime:
This site is on hold at the moment. Defra has indicated that although there is enough evidence to support the designation of the site for protection of thirteen habitats and species recommended by stakeholders (including seagrass beds, both long and short snouted seagrass and the native oyster beds), additional evidence is required for four of the habitats and species recommended. Therefore the site is on hold whilst further work is carried out to improve the data certainty for these remaining habitats and species.
This site is the only one put forward in the region for protection of maerl beds and is only one of two sites put forward in the region to protect the kaleidoscope stalked jellyfish and the long snouted seahorse. It is also considered to contain the most important and extensive population of peacock's tail seaweed in the country.
The site has also been identified as being at high risk of damage and degradation by Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee due to the presence of sensitive habitats and species within the site.
We need you to urge Defra consider designation of this site as soon as possible for those features deemed to have sufficient evidence. This is particularly important as this site has been identified as being at risk. Defra should commit to gathering additional data to consider designation of those additional features requiring more evidence in the next tranche. The site should be protected from additional damage and degradation in the meantime.
Videos
Contains UKHO Law of the Sea data. Crown copyright and database right and contains Ordnance Survey Data Crown copyright and database 2012
Other nearby MCZs
Downloads
| Filename | File size |
|---|---|
| Bembridge.pdf | 320.19 KB |