Hermit crab, in eelgrass (Credit Paul Naylor)
The harbour and small seagrass meadow provide nursery grounds for juvenile fish and crustaceans, and the area is important for foraging and breeding wildfowl.
Grey and common seals are often seen in the Harbour.
This small area is one of just three places in the UK, where the exceptionally rare Defolin’s lagoon snail occurs. This snail’s rarity makes it very vulnerable. Any changes to the lagoons in which it lives could result in its complete disappearance. This minute (up to just 2mm long!) snail lives in the spaces between small pebbles in the site's shingle spit at the harbour mouth.
Pagham Harbour is renowned for its rich marine life. Species include the lagoon sand shrimp, found in Ferry Pool on the west side of the harbour, the beautiful starlet sea anemone, native oysters, adult eels and elvers. Elvers are juvenile eels that swim up rivers to mature after which they return to the sea.
Home to the native oyster, adult eels and elvers. Elvers are juvenile eels which swim up rivers to mature after which they return to the sea.
This recommended Marine Conservation Zone has been put forward for potential designation in 2013, government consultation pending.
We need you to urge Defra to remain committed to designating this site in 2013 and to putting appropriate management in place as soon as possible.
This site is recommended for designation in 2013 for three of the habitats and species recommended for protection by stakeholders (the seagrass beds, Defolin's lagoon snail and the lagoon sand shrimp). Defra has indicated that additional evidence is required to support designation of the site for European eel. This site is one of only three sites proposed nationally to protect the Defolin's lagoon snail. The seagrass beds are also important as they provide an important food source for overwintering wildfowl as well as fish nursery ground and shelter for a variety of species.
We need you to urge Defra to remain committed to designating this site in 2013 and to putting appropriate management in place as soon as possible. Defra should also commit to gathering additional evidence to support designation of the site for European eel 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 |
|---|---|
| Pagham Harbour.pdf | 246.93 KB |