 web.jpg "Hedgehog sponge (Credit Paul Naylor)")
Hedgehog sponge (Credit Paul Naylor)
Fragile subtidal sponge and anthozoan communities are present here.
Harbour porpoise can be spotted from headlands along the coast here.
This stretch of coastline has a long and diverse list of interesting and scarce species. It is characterised by cliffs and rocky shores, small sandy bays and inlets with an expanse of sandy shoreline at Bideford Bay.
Notable species here include the native oyster, peacock’s tail seaweed, Celtic sea slug and European eel. Reef builders include the ross worm and honeycomb worm.
Additional rare, scarce and sensitive species present are the pink sea fan, scarlet and gold star coral, Weymouth carpet coral, policeman anemone, Devonshire cup coral, stalked jellyfish and short-snouted seahorse. The area is also important for seabirds and cetaceans, with harbour porpoises visible from headlands along the coast.
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 the additional evidence needed to consider designation of this site in a future tranche.
This site is on hold at the moment. Defra has indicated that although there is enough evidence to support designation of the site for pink sea fan, additional evidence is required for the other habitats and species recommended by stakeholders for protection within this site.
This site has been identified as a hotspot for harbour porpoise and contains a wide range of coastal water habitat which is currently unprotected along this coast.
We need you to urge Defra consider designation of this site as soon as possible for those features deemed to have sufficient evidence. Defra should commit to gathering additional data to consider designation of those additional features requiring more evidence in a future tranche.
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 |
|---|---|
| Bideford to Foreland Point.pdf | 540.34 KB |