 web.jpg "Hermit crab (Credit Amy Lewis)")
Hermit crab (Credit Amy Lewis)
Habitats here support a high diversity of plants and animals, such as anemones and hermit crabs.
Mixed sediments and sand habitats here are valuable for burrowing species.
The South-West Deeps (West) is located along the south-western boundary of the UK continental shelf limit and is intersected by the geologically important Celtic Sea relict sandbanks.
This area contains a variety of habitats, including mixed sediments and sand important for burrowing species and animals using the seabed for camouflage to avoid predators. These habitats support a high diversity of plants and animals, such as anemones and hermit crabs, which in turn provide a rich foraging ground for seabirds during the summer.
The boundaries have been designed to be parallel with those of the South-West Deeps (East) site, which is also valued for its mixed sediment and sand habitats.
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 this year and ensuring that appropriate management measures are implemented as soon as possible.
This site is proposed for designation in 2013 for the subtidal sand and Celtic Sea relict sandbanks found within the site. However, Defra indicate that further data is needed to improve the certainty of two additional habtitats recommended for protection by stakeholders- subtidal coarse and subtidal mixed sediment. This site was one of 55 recommended MCZs identified by Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee as being at higher risk of damage and deterioration so it is crucial that appropriate management is put in place as soon as possible.
We need you to urge Defra to remain committed to designating this site this year and ensuring that appropriate management measures are implemented as soon as possible. Defra should also commit to gathering the additional information required to consider designation of the remaining features within this site as soon as possible.
Other nearby MCZs
South-West Deeps (East) The Canyons
Location map
South West Deeps West recommended MCZ is located in the map below.
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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 |
|---|---|
| South-West Deeps (West).pdf | 242.55 KB |