Catshark (Credit Sharon Meadows)
The sand and gravel seabed contains a diversity of animals living within the sediment including catshark.
Thermal water fronts mean this is a productive area with many species benefitting from the abundant food supply.
The Kentish Knock is one of several impressive sandbanks lying relatively far offshore between Kent and Essex, out from the mouth of the River Thames.
The predominantly sand and gravel seabed contains a diversity of animals living within the sediment, while hermit crabs scuttle across the surface among small sand goby fish and foraging rays and catsharks.
There are deeply gouged channels in the coarse sediment, ancient remnants of when the glacial floodwaters broke through from the North Sea.
The thermal water fronts mean this is a productive area, with numerous species of fish living in mid water, witnessed by the many birds that come to forage for food around the sandbanks in both summer and winter.
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 information needed and to consider designating this site in a future tranche:
Defra has indicated the need for additional evidence before they consider designation of this site for any of the habitats or species recommended by stakeholders. If designated, this site would provide significant regional protection to subtidal coarse sediment.
We need you to urge Defra to commit to gathering the additional information needed and to consider designating this site 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 |
|---|---|
| Kentish Knock East.pdf | 167.4 KB |