Table - Zostera records and extent n UK marine SAC and non-SAC sites

Overview of Zostera spp. records and extent within UK marine SAC & non-SAC sites

*Annex I Habitats with Zostera* sp.**						Site Name		Zostera sp. recorded		*Estimates of total area of Zostera* sp. cover**
S	E	M	L	I	Bold = UK Marine SAC Project Demonstration Site
SCOTLAND
*					Sound of Arisaig cSAC		Zostera sp.
			*	*	Loch Maddy cSAC		Z. marina Z. noltii
	*				Dornoch Firth pSAC		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii
					Moray Firth cSAC - within which the Cromarty Firth is considered to have the largest Zostera population in Britain		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii		1, 200 ha (RSPB, 1995)
CROSS-BORDER SITES - SCOTLAND & ENGLAND
*	*	*			Solway Firth cSAC		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii		At least 2 km² Hawker, 1993, 1994
		*			Berwickshire & North Northumberland Coast cSAC		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii		900 ha Percival et al., 1996
ENGLAND
		*		*	Morecambe Bay cSAC		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii
					Humber Estuary		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii
*		*		*	The Wash & North Norfolk Coast cSAC		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii
	*	*			Essex Estuaries cSAC		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii		844 ha Wyer et al., 1977
					Maplin Sands, North Thames Estuary is estimated to be the largest continuous population of Z. noltii in Europe		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii		325 ha (RSPB, 1995)
			*		Solent & Isle of Wight Lagoons cSAC - Langstone Harbour (280 ha) - Chichester Harbour (130 ha) - Portsmouth Harbour (20 - 40 ha) - Isle of Wight (?)		Z. marina Z. angustifolia Z. noltii		(see places for estimates) (Tubbs & Tubbs, 1983)
			*		Chesil & the Fleet cSAC The Fleet Lagoon is considered to have the most extensive population of all 3 Zostera sp. in Britain (cHAP, 1995)		Z. marina Z. angustifolia Z. noltii
*	*			*	Plymouth Sound & Estuaries cSAC		Z. marina
					Exe Estuary SPA		Z. angustifolia Z. noltii
*		*		*	Fal & Helford cSAC		Z. noltii Z. marina		6.5 km² (Covey & Hocking, 1987)
*		*			Isles of Scilly Complex cSAC		Z. marina
CROSS-BORDER SITE - ENGLAND & WALES
*	*	*			Severn Estuary cSAC		Z. marina Z. angustifolia Z. noltii		Approx. 1 km² but very sparse (M. Hill, pers. comm.)
WALES
	*			*	Pembrokeshire Islands pSAC - Skomer MNR - Milford Haven		Z. marina Z. angustifolia Z. noltii
	*				Lleyn Peninsula & the Sarnau cSAC		Z. marina Z. angustifolia Z. noltii
NORTHERN IRELAND
				*	Strangford Lough cSAC		Z. marina Z. angustifolia Z. noltii		6.3 km² Portig et al., 1994
					Dundrum Bay		Zostera sp.
					Carlingford Lough		Zostera sp.
					Lough Foyle		Zostera sp.

Key To Annex I Habitats (*)

AI habitats with Zostera sp.

S Sandbanks slightly covered by seawater at all times

E Estuaries

M Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at all times

L Lagoons

I Large, shallow inlets and bays

References