The Severn Estuary European

Marine Site

Dr. Joe Green

Lead Marine Adviser, South West Regional Seas Team

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Contents

• The Severn in context

• Legislative background

• Overview of Severn designations

• Focus on:

– SAC

– SPA & Ramsar site

– SSSIs

• The role of Natural England

• Current work areas

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The Severn in context - geography

• Largest example of a coastal plain estuary/flooded river

valley? in the United Kingdom

• One of the largest estuaries in Europe - area of 73,678

ha

• Immense tidal range – physical environment and the

diversity and productivity of the biological communities.

• Tidal range 12.3 m at Avonmouth – 2nd largest in world

• Macrotidal environment related to the funnel shape - tidal

wave concentrated as it moves up the Channel.

• Tidal currents amplified and move at between 1.5 - 3

metres p/s3

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The Severn in context – anthropological influences

• The Estuary and its coastal hinterland support the cities

of Cardiff, Bristol, Newport and Gloucester.

• Major industries include port installations, chemical

processing companies and nuclear power stations

• Commercial shrimp fishing, salmon fishing, an important

eel fishery.

• Aggregate extraction also occurs within the estuary

• Land reclamation since the Roman period - influenced

character of marginal wetlands

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Copyright: TPBC Copyright: BBC

Copyright: www.ultraprt.co.uk Copyright: Sir Robert McAlpine

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The Severn in context

• Alongside these competing activities, the Estuary

supports a wide range of habitats and species of

International importance for nature conservation.

• Site is 2/3 subtidal and 1/3 intertidal

• European Marine Site (EMS)

• SSSI’s

• Cross border site

Unique management challenge

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Severn’s conservation designations

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Legislative background

European:

– Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

• EC Habitats Directive

• Article 3 - European network of important high-quality

conservation sites

• Conserve 189 habitat types and 788 species identified in

the Directive

– Special Protection Areas (SPAs)

• EC Birds Directive

• For rare and vulnerable birds (Annex 1) and regularly

occurring migratory species

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Legislative background

International:

– Ramsar site

• Protects wetlands under Ramsar Convention

• Ramsar sites in England are protected as European

sites

• Often underpins SPAs

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Overview of designations

National:

– Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)

• The country's very best wildlife and geological sites

• Protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1984

(as amended)

• Largely terrestrial designation, rarely extending below

the Low Water Mark.

Collectively, these designations make up part of a network of Marine

Protected Areas (MPAs)

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Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

Designated 2009

• Mudflats and sandflats not

covered by seawater at low tide

• Estuaries*

• Atlantic salt meadows

• Sandbanks which are slightly

covered by sea water all the

time

• Reefs

• Sea lamprey

• River lamprey

• Twaite shad

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Special Protection Area (SPA)

• Classified in 1995

• Internationally important

numbers of passage and

overwintering birds (4.1)

• A wetland of International

importance (4.2)

• Intertidal mudflats and

sandflats, saltmarsh,

shingle and rocky shore

also protected

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Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)

• Bridgwater Bay SSSI

– Saltmarsh; Reedbed; Intertidal

mudflats; Vascular plants; Grazing

marsh; Aggregations of non-

breeding birds

• Severn Estuary SSSI

– Saltmarsh; Reedbed; Intertidal

mudflats; Vascular plants;

Invertebrate assemblages; Grazing

marsh; Aggregations of non-

breeding birds

• Steep Holm SSSI

– Maritime cliff and slope; Vascular

plant

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• Whole estuary ecosystem is

designated

– Dynamic natural processes (biological

chemical and physiological)

– Characteristic associated biological

communities (invertebrates, plants,

birds and fish).

• Extensive subtidal sandbanks in outer

estuary

– Specialised communities

– Biogenic reefs of Sabellaria alveolata,

– Only known location of subtidal reefs in

England

Severn’s features

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The role of Natural England

• Responsible for advising Government and industry on

marine conservation and seascape issues in England’s

territorial waters (>12 nm offshore).

• Ensuring that our seas are ecologically healthy and that

biodiversity is maintained/recovered

• Advise a range of Government departments

• Ensure that the use and management of the marine

environment outside protected areas, is more sustainable.

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The role of Natural England

To ensure delivery of the long-term benefits the government wants and

that the natural environment needs – Natural England’s role is to provide

practical advice, grounded in science, on:

• Designation of MPAs

• MPA conservation objectives and operations that may impact site

features

• Monitoring and reporting on the MPA network

• Issues and legislation supporting implementation of Government policy

and international commitments

• Licensing and consenting of sea uses

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Current work areas – Severn (major casework)

Nationally significant projects

• Steart peninsula

realignments (EA, TBPC)

• Hinkley Point C

• Severn Barrage

• The Bristol Port Company

deep water expansion

Deliverables

Statutory advice:

• Liaising with LA’s and

developers

• HRA documents

• EIA’s

• Scoping reports

• Pre application

requests

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Current work areas (other casework)

Other casework – locally/regionally

significant

• Maintenance to coastal structures

• Dredging applications

• Fisheries/shellfisheries applications

or licences – advice to regulators

• Coastal redevelopments/defences

• Proposals for new leisure

facilities/activities 23

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Our work with other agencies

• EA

• EA Wales

• CCW

• Devon and Severn

IFCA

• Wildlife Trusts

• DECC

• DEFRA

• CEFAS

• MMO

• JNCC

• Local Authorities

• Landowners

• Local businesses and

industries

• Port and Harbour

authorities

• SEP25

Thank you

Dr. Joe Green

Lead Marine Adviser

0300 060 2797

joe.green@naturalengland.org.uk

www.naturalengland.org.uk

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