Plumose anemones (Credit Mark Thomas)
Rocky areas are often hives of activity, dominated by attaching animals projecting upwards into the water to collect passing food particles.
Tall plumose anemones can be found to depths of 100 metres and reach up to 30cm in height.
Rock Unique is located 55km offshore from the Berwickshire coast. The seafloor reaches 50 metres in depth and consists mostly of a mosaic of sand interspersed with rock, gravel and coarse sediments.
The name ‘Rock Unique’ comes from it being the only example of this type of low energy rock within the North Sea: rock that is heavily dominated by animal communities. Creatures range from attached sea squirts, dead man’s fingers (a soft coral), sea urchins, tall plumose anemones and burrowing creatures such as peacock worms. Marine mammals are spotted all year round, including white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises and minke and humpback whales, alongside foraging grey seals from the Farne Islands.
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 to protect three of the habitats recommended for protection by stakeholders. Defra has indicated that they require additional evidence for one habitat (the coastal rock habitat) recommended by stakeholders before considering this for protection in future tranches. Defra commissioned additional survey work for this site in 2012 which has not yet been taken into account.
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 use additional evidence gathered to consider the designation of the remaining habitat put forward by stakeholders as soon as possible.
Other nearby MCZs
Location map
Rock Unique 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 |
|---|---|
| Rock Unique.pdf | 258.36 KB |