Table - summary of the perceived status of the subtidal brittlestar biotope complex within SACs

Summary Table

The table below summarizes the perceived status of the biotope complex within each SAC, its importance relative to others of its type, and recommended management options. Summaries are presented for eight ‘demonstration’ candidate SACs, and one possible SAC (Loch Alsh/Duich/Long system).

Papa Stour	Status: Possibly a good example of an Ophiocomina bed in a near-pristine environment. Monitoring value: High, owing to nature of environment and geographic location. Potential management concerns: Probably none at present.
Loch nam Madadh	Status: Localized Ophiothrix aggregations. Better examples known elsewhere. Monitoring value: Low Potential management concerns: Probably none at present
Loch Alsh etc.	Status: Good examples in a near-pristine environment. Contains biotope (Ophiopholis beds) of national conservation importance. Monitoring value: High, owing to rarity of biotope and nature of environment. Potential management concerns: Probably none at present, but expansion of aquaculture should be monitored.
Sound of Arisaig	Status: Localized Ophiothrix and Ophiocomina aggregations. Better examples known elsewhere. Monitoring value: Low Potential management concerns: Probably none at present.
Strangford Lough	Status: Extensive and dense Ophiothrix beds (with Ophiocomina). Good examples of the biotope. Monitoring value: High, owing to extent of biotope and range of human activities in the area. Potential management concerns: Scallop dredging
Morecambe Bay	Status: At least one sizeable Ophiothrix bed known. Little detailed information. Monitoring value: High, may give valuable information on response to human-induced change in coastal waters. Potential management concerns: Unknown. Area heavily influenced by human activity.
Llyn Peninsula	Status: Ophiothrix beds known to occur, but extent and relative importance poorly-known. Monitoring value uncertain. Monitoring value: Unknown, but further information highly desirable. Potential management concerns: Probably none at present.
The Wash & North Norfolk Coast	Status: Extensive Ophiura beds, ecology poorly-known. Monitoring value: May be useful for monitoring quality of the site. Not readily comparable with Ophiothrix-dominated beds owing to differnces in the ecology of these genera. Potential management concerns: Unknown, possibly none at present.
Berwickshire & N. Northumberland Coast	Status: Extensive beds on a variety of substrata. Ophiothrix, Ophiocomina and Ophiura-dominated examples present. Monitoring value: High, owing to extent of biotope and geographic location (sea area subject to strong human influence). Potential management concerns: Probably none at present.

It can be seen from the table that the most important SACs for representation of the biotope complex, and value for future monitoring purposes, are Papa Stour, the Loch Alsh system, Strangford Lough, Morecambe Bay, the Berwickshire/North Northumberland Coast, and possibly the Llyn Peninsula. Loch nam Madadh and the Sound of Arisaig are of much lower importance. The Ophiura beds in the Wash are directly comparable only with the Ophiura-dominated examples from Berwickshire, but could play a part in the monitoring scheme for this SAC and deserve further study.

References