Advisory group

The body of representatives from local interests, user groups, and conservation groups, formed to advise the management group of the European marine site.

Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI)

An area of land or water notified by the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland as being of special nature or geological conservation importance.

Annex I Habitats

A natural habitat listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive for which Special Areas of Conservation can be selected.

Annex II Species

Species listed in Annex II of the Habitats Directive for which Special Areas of Conservation can be selected.

Attribute

Quantifiable aspects of interest features that can be used to help define condition, hence favourable condition. For species these may include population size, structure, and distribution. For habitat attributes may include measures of area covered, composition, and supporting processes such as ecosystem structure, tidal streams, salinity, sediment dynamics, and the presence of typical species (EN et al 1998).

BATNEEC

Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Cost.

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

A direct measure of the oxygen utilisation in bacterial degradation of an organic waste (Clark 1996).

Biodiversity (biological diversity)

"The variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems." (UN Convention on Biological Diversity 1992).

Biotope

The ‘habitat’ (the environment’s physical and chemical characteristics) together with its recurring associated community of species, operating together on a particular scale.

Birds Directive

The abbreviated term for Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the Conservation of Wild Birds. This Directive aims to protect bird species within the European Union through the conservation of populations of certain birds and the habitats used by these species.

BMIF

British Marine Industries Federation

BPEO

Best Practical Environmental Option

Capital dredging

Improvement of dredged channels, or creation of new channels or deep areas for newly constructed berths

CCW

Countryside Council for Wales

CEDA

Central Dredging Association (member of the World Organisation of Dredging Associations)

Characteristic species

Special to or especially abundant in a particular situation or biotope. Characteristic species should be immediately conspicuous and easily identified (Hiscock 1996).

CIRIA

Construction Industry Research and Information Association

Competent authority

Any Minister, government department, public or statutory undertaker, public body or person holding a public office that exercises statutory powers (EN et al 1998).

Conservation (marine) feature (also known as interest feature)

A natural or semi-natural feature for which a European site has been selected. This includes any Habitats Directive Annex I habitat, or specific component of their fauna and flora, or any Annex II species and any population of a bird species for which an SPA has been designated under the Birds Directive. Any habitat of a species for which a site has been selected, or typical species of an Annex I habitat, are also considered to be conservation features (CCW 1996).

Conservation objective

A statement of the nature conservation aspirations for a site, expressed in terms of the favourable condition that we wish the species and/or habitats for which the site has been selected should attain. Conservation objectives for European marine sites relate to the aims of the Habitats and Birds Directive (EN et al 1998).

Country Conservation Agencies

The statutory national nature conservation bodies: the Countryside Council for Wales, English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and their Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland).

DETR

Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.

DOENI

Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland is the statutory nature conservation agency and the licensing authority for the disposal of dredge material (equivalent of CCW/EN/SNH, MAFF/SOAEFD and EA/SEPA).

Dominant species

EA

Environment Agency.

EMAS

EC eco-management and audit scheme, which is an environmental management scheme.

EN

English Nature.

ESPO

European Sea Ports Organisation.

European marine Site

A European site (SAC/SPA) which consists of, or so far as it consists of, marine areas.

Eutrophication

Excessive nutrient enrichment causing the over fertilisation of water, with the undesirable effect of altering the structure of communities, by causing the formation of algal mats or blooms, sometimes with disastrous impacts.

Factor (also known as process)

‘Factors’ is the term used by CCW to describe the characteristic series of component impacts (such as siltation) associated with maritime activities. Factors can be subdivided into secondary and tertiary factors. They can be used to provide a link in the relationship between maritime activities and the ecological requirements of the marine habitats and species. The country conservation agencies are in the process of developing the factors approach and its application in their advice on operations which may cause deterioration or disturbance to interest features.

Favourable condition

See interest feature condition.

Favourable conservation status

A range of conditions for a natural habitat or species at which the sum of the influences acting upon that habitat or species are not adversely affecting its distribution, abundance, structure or function throughout the EU in the long term. The condition in which the habitat or species is capable of sustaining itself on a long-term basis (EN et al 1998).

FEPA

Food and Environmental Protection Act, 1985 (see Appendix F).

GESAMP

Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution.

Habitats Directive

The abbreviated term for Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is the aim of this Directive to promote the conservation of certain habitats and species within the EU.

Habitats Regulations

The abbreviated term for the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994. The equivalent legislation for Northern Ireland is the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995. This is the legislation that transposes the requirements of the Habitats and Birds Directives into UK law.

Harbour

The term harbour means any harbour, whether natural or artificial, and any port, haven, estuary, tidal or other river or inland waterway navigated by sea-going ships, and includes a dock, a wharf, and in Scotland a ferry or boat slip being a marine work (Harbours Act 1964).

The harbour is the stretch of water where vessels can anchor, secure to buoys or alongside wharves to obtain protection from sea and swell, the protection may be afforded by natural or artificial features.

Harbour authority

A harbour authority is any person in whom are rested powers or duties of improving, maintaining or managing a harbour whether under the Harbours Act 1964 or other enabling Act, order or instrument (Harbours Act 1964).

Harmful substance

Any substance which, if introduced into the sea, is liable to create hazards to human health, harm living resources and marine life, damage amenities or interfere with other legitimate uses of the sea, and includes any substance subject to control by the Convention. (ICS 1997).

HSE

UK Health and Safety Executive.

IADC

International Association of Dredging Companies.

ICE

Institute of Civil Engineers.

ICES

International Council for the Exploration of the Seas.

ICS

International Chamber of Shipping.

IMDG

International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code.

IMO

International Maritime Organisation.

Interest feature

(See conservation feature)

A natural or semi-natural feature for which a European site has been selected. This includes any Habitats Directive Annex I habitat, or specific component of their fauna and flora, or any Annex II species and any population of a bird species for which an SPA has been designated under the Birds Directive. Any habitat of a species for which a site has been selected, or typical species of an Annex I habitat, are also considered to be conservation features (CCW 1996).

Interest feature condition

The condition of an interest feature on a site. A measure of the contribution that the site makes to the favourable conservation status of the feature. Interest feature condition can be measured by the following categories: favourable (maintained), favourable (recovered), unfavourable (recovering), unfavourable (no change), unfavourable (declining), partially destroyed, destroyed.

Introduced species

Any species introduced by human agency into a geographical region outside its natural range. The term includes non-established (‘alien’) species and established non-natives, but excludes hybrid taxa derived from introductions (‘derivatives’) (Eno et al 1997).

ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is a voluntary environmental management system standard and there are no legal requirements for organisations to register to the standard. It is the only certifiable standard in the ISO 14000 series, the other standards in the series provide guidance on a range of environmental management issues, including auditing, performance evaluation and eco-labelling.

JNCC

Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

MAFF

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

Maintenance dredging

Preservation of navigational channels and berths.

Management group

The management group is the body of relevant authorities formed to manage the European marine site

Management scheme

The framework established by the relevant authorities for a European marine site under which their functions are exercised to secure, in relation to that site, compliance with the requirements of the Habitats Directive. The management scheme is the resulting management document. (

1998)

Marine area

A marine area is any land covered continuously or intermittently by tidal water, or any part of the sea, in or adjacent to the UK, up to the seaward limit of territorial waters.

Maritime activity

A human – induced operation, which occurs in the marine or coastal environment.

MARPOL (73/78)

International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978).

MCA (MSA)

Maritime and Coastguard Agency (previously the Marine Safety Agency).

MCS

Marine Conservation Society.

Monitoring

Surveillance undertaken to ensure that formulated standards are being maintained. The term is also applied to compliance monitoring against accepted standards to ensure that agreed or required measures are being followed (CCW 1996).

MPCU

Marine Pollution Control Unit, part of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

Natura 2000 network

The European network of protected sites established under the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive (SACs and SPAs).

Non-native (species)

A species that has been introduced directly of indirectly by human agency (deliberately or otherwise) to an area where it has not occurred in historical times (taken as being since 5000 years before present) and which is separate from, and lies outside, the area where natural range extension could be expected. The species has become established in the wild and has self-maintaining populations. (Eno et al 1997).

Operations which may cause deterioration or disturbance (OMDD)

Any activity or operation taking place within, adjacent to, or remote from a European marine site that has the potential to cause deterioration to the natural habitats for which the site was designated or disturbance to the species and its habitat for which the site was designated (CCW 1996).

OPRC

Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation

PIANC

Permanent International Association of Navigation Congresses.

Plans and projects

Any proposed development that is within a relevant authority’s function to control, or over which a competent authority has a statutory function to decide on applications for consents, authorisations, licences or permissions (CCW 1996).

Polluter Pays Principle

When production processes threaten or cause damage to the environment, the cost of necessary environmental measures should be borne by the producer and not society at large, giving incentives to reduce pollution.

Pollution

The introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the marine environment, including estuaries, which results or is likely to result in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources and marine life, hazards to human health, hindrance to marine activities, including fishing and other legitimate uses of the sea, impairment of quality for use of sea water and reduction of amenities (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982).

Port

Port is the commercial harbour or commercial part of a harbour in which are situated the quays, wharves, enclosed docks and facilities for working cargo, and operated by a statutory port operator.

Port State Control

On behalf of the government the inspection division of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) exercises the rights of the ‘port state’ to inspect and if appropriate detain sub-standard ships.

Precautionary principle/approach

The assumption that where there are real threats of serious damage to the environment, lack of full scientific information should not be used as a justification for postponing measures to prevent such damage occurring (CCW 1996).

Processes

(also known as factors)

‘Processes’ is the term used by EN to describe the effects (such as siltation) that provide a link in the relationship between maritime activities and the ecological requirements of the marine habitats and species. Operations (such as physical damage) can be subdivided into a number of processes (such siltation, abrasion and extraction). The country conservation agencies are in the process of developing the ‘processes’ approach and its application in their advice on operations which may cause deterioration or disturbance to interest features.

Recoverability

The ability of a species to return to its former status once conditions return.

Relevant authority

The specific competent authorities identified in the Regulations, who have powers or functions which have, or could have, an impact on the marine environment within, or adjacent to, a European marine site.

RSPB

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

RYA

Royal Yachting Association.

SEPA

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Scottish equivalent of the Environment Agency).

Sensitivity

The intolerance of a habitat, community or individual (or individual colony) of a species to damage, or death, from an external factor (Hiscock 1996).

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

An area of land or water notified by the Nature Conservancy Council or its successor country agencies under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as being of special nature or geological conservation importance.

SOAEFD

Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department (Licensing authority for the disposal of dredged material in Scotland).

SNH

Scottish Natural Heritage.

Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

A site of Community importance designated by the Member States where the necessary conservation measures are applied for the maintenance or restoration, at a favourable conservation status, of the habitats and/or species for which the site is designated.

Special Protection Area (SPA)

A site designated under the Birds Directive by the Member States where appropriate steps are taken to protect the bird species for which the site is designated.

Statutory nature conservation agencies

See Countryside Conservation Agencies.

Suspended sediment

A measure of the mass of particles in suspension per volume of water (IADC/CEDA 1998).

Sustainable development

The use of resources to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Tolerance

The ability of an organism or population to survive the range of an environmental factor (Lincoln & Boxshall 1990).

Toxicity

A measure of how poisonous a substance is, or how large a dose is required to kill or damage an organism, the more toxic the substance, the smaller the lethal dose (Clark 1996).

Turbidity

An optical property of water related to light attenuation. Turbidity increases as the amount of suspended sediments in the water column increase (IADC/CEDA 1998).

VHF

Very High Frequency.

Voluntary principle

An approach to site management based on the regulation of activities through agreement and consent rather than through the use of statutory controls (CCW 1996).

VTS

Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) direct ships within a harbour area.

Vulnerability

The exposure of a habitat, community or individual (or individual colony) to an external factor to which it is sensitive (Hiscock 1996).

Waste

Useless, unneeded or superfluous matter which is to be discarded (ICS 1997).