RECENT WORK BY THE ENVIRONMENT AGENCY IN THE EUROPEAN
MARINE SITES OF THE SOUTH WEST
Ben Bunting2, Rachel Hudson1 and Peter Jonas1
1
Tidal Waters Team, Environment Agency, Manley House, Exeter, Devon EX2 7LQ
Strategic Environmental Planning Team, Environment Agency, Manley House,
Exeter, Devon EX2 7LQ
2
The Environment Agency is required to undertake assessments, in order to review
permissions which could affect the integrity of European Marine Sites, under
Regulation 50 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994. Phase 1
of this work was done in conjunction with English Nature, and resulted in a Site
Characterisation report by Plymouth Marine Science Partnership for each of the 6
sites; Plymouth Sound and Estuaries, the Fal and Helford, the Exe Estuary, the Severn
Estuary, Poole Harbour, and Chesil and the Fleet.
Following on from these reports, the Environment Agency has been pursuing
investigations at several sites on the water, sediment, and biological quality, and also
undertaking detailed assessments on particular aspects highlighted in the reports.
This recent work is reviewed in the presentation, and consideration is also given to
future studies which are proposed for the sites.
Corresponding author: peter.jonas@environment-agency.gov.uk