.jpg "Samphire (Credit Kirsten Smith)")
Samphire (Credit Kirsten Smith)
Samphire is known as ‘poor man's asparagus’; it has a crisp texture and is described as ‘tasting of the sea’.
The only North Sea zone to have been recommended for the protection of seagrass.
Located within the sheltered inlet of Blakeney Point on the North Norfolk coast is Blakeney Seagrass recommended Marine Conservation Zone. This is the only North Sea site to have been recommended for the protection of seagrass. Seagrass beds are recognised internationally as important coastal ecosystems providing nursery grounds for many juvenile fish. The infaunal community found within the sediment here consists of lug worms, common cockles and saltmarsh plants, including samphire.
Within the site's vicinity is a large colony of both grey and common seals, one of the few known places in the North Sea where common seals are regularly found hauling out. This area is also important for seabirds, including Arctic, Sandwich and common tern.
This recommended Marine Conservation Zone is ON HOLD at the moment as it was recommended as a Reference Area.
We need you to urge Defra to commit to additional research to better understand the seagrass habitat and to look at providing appropriate protection within the North Sea region.
This site was put forward as a Reference Area (a highly protected site). Defra are now reviewing the designation of these sites. The Wildlife Trusts will be contributing to this review. This site is particularly important due to the seagrass beds found within the site which are rare to the region and appear to be declining.
We need you to urge Defra to therefore commit to additional research to better understand this habitat and to look at providing appropriate protection within the North Sea region.
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 |
|---|---|
| Blakeney Seagrass.pdf | 302.92 KB |