Catshark (Credit Tom Ashton)
Smallspotted catsharks, formally known as dogfish are found on sandy, gravelly seabeds throughout the North Sea feeding on crabs and molluscs.
This area is a valuable nursery and spawning ground for many fish species.
Located 14km offshore from the Alde Ore Estuary, this area consists almost entirely of a seafloor of mixed sediment, reaching between 20-30 metres in depth throughout.
The seafloor here is extremely important as a nursery and spawning ground for many fish species, including dover and lemon sole, sprat and sandeels. Skates, rays, smallspotted catsharks and several crustacean species are found here.
The area may also be of importance to foraging seabirds, such as the black-legged kittiwake, northern fulmar, northern gannet and Sandwich tern. Harbour porpoises are often spotted passing through this area on the lookout for a meal.
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 use this data as soon as possible and to consider this site as a high and urgent priority for designation 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 this site for the subtidal mixed sediments recommended by stakeholders, Defra has indicated that further work is required to understand the implications of designation on the renewable energy sector and the non UK fishing fleet. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Natural England have identified this site as being at risk of damage and degradation from bottom trawling due to abrasion from the trawl and the bycatch of species other than those targeted by the trawl. Defra also commissioned additional survey work of this site in 2012. This data has not fed into this consultation.
We need you to urge Defra to use this data as soon as possible and to consider this site as a high and urgent priority for designation in a future tranche. The site should be protected from additional damage and degradation in the meantime.
Other nearby MCZs
Alde Ore Estuary Stour and Orwell Estuaries
Location map
Orford Inshore 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 |
|---|---|
| Orford Inshore.pdf | 219.52 KB |