EU Habitats Directive

UK Biodiversity Action Plan

OSPAR/JAMP

Due to the range of ecological functioning and biodiversity values associated with biogenic reefs in general, they are featured or implicated for scientific study and/or conservation actions through several initiatives. These are briefly outlined below, and should be considered as distinct in purpose but complementary in application.

Some of the habitats and species covered in other volumes of this series of reports are Annex I or Annex II features. However, although ‘reefs’ are an Annex 1 feature, the Habitats Directive makes no mention of ‘biogenic reefs’.

The possible citing of biogenic reefs as a specific reason for selecting SACs is presently under careful review, and it is likely that SACs based on the presence of biogenic reefs will be proposed in the future (Brown et al., 1997).

Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) are being prepared for a variety of species and key habitats, the latter being grouped under different broad habitat types. this work is being carried out by a number of working groups under the direction of the UKBAP Steering Group in support of the UK Government’s commitments to biodiversity made at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. BAPs relevant to this work will be prepared for the following key habitats:

• Sabellaria alveolata reefs (broad habitat ‘Littoral rock’)
• Sabellaria spinulosa reefs (broad habitat ‘Inshore sublittoral rock’)
• Modiolus modiolus beds(broad habitat ‘Inshore sublittoral rock’)
• Serpula vermicularis beds(broad habitat ‘Inshore sublittoral rock’)

At the time of writing this report the BAPs relevant to S. alveolata, S spinulosa and M modiolus have been produced in draft form, in close co-operation with the production of this report. Final BAP plans are presently understood to be scheduled for production by the end of 1998.

The Joint Assessment and Monitoring Programme (JAMP) of the Oslo and Paris Conventions for the Prevention of Marine Pollution (OSPAR) is presently developing guidelines for monitoring of marine ecology and biodiversity in relation to human activities. In this respect UK conservation agencies will be reviewing aspects of sensitivity in relation to Modiolus modiolus reefs and Sabellaria spinulosa reef biotopes, as well as maerl beds, sea pen faunal communities, kelp forests, and seagrass beds (draft already produced). It is anticipated that information in this report will contribute to this process.

Next Section                     References