Little ringed plover (Credit Tom Marshall)
Estuaries are valuable areas for birds like this little ringed plover which find plenty of food here.
Commercially important species include smelt and eel are present here.
The area is made up of two estuaries that result in saltmarsh where river meets sea. Saltmarsh is formed by grasses and plants that are highly tolerant of salt and can thrive even when they are often submerged by the tide.
This habitat is important country-wide as it provides a nursery ground for fish to mature and improve their chances of reaching breeding age. Without shelter, breeding is less successful as juveniles contend with the harsh reality of living in the open water. Commercially important species, include smelt and eel are present here, and are vital for seabirds to feed on.
The Lune is currently protected by the Morecambe Bay Special Area of Conservation and the Wyre is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The addition of a Marine Conservation Zone will complement the area and provide sanctuary for all the species that require shelter.
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 information as soon as possible to consider designation of this site in a future tranche:
Although Defra has indicated that there is enough evidence to support designation of all features recommended by stakeholders in this site, it feels there is a need for further work to understand the impacts of designation of the site on the economics of the renewable energy sector.
This site was put forward to protect the smelt and European eel found within it- neither species is currently protected within sites in the Irish Sea project area. Both species have shown marked declines within the UK and the Government has international responsibility to protect both species.
We need you to urge Defra to commit to gathering additional evidence required as soon as possible and to consider designation of this site in a future tranche.
Other nearby MCZs
Location map
Lune-Wyre recommended MCZ is located in the map below.
Contains UKHO Law of the Sea data. Crown copyright and database right and contains Ordnance Survey Data Crown copyright and database 2012
Downloads
| Filename | File size |
|---|---|
| Lune and Wyre Estuary.pdf | 201.67 KB |