87 of these SACs are completely in
inshore waters, 16 are completely in
offshore
waters and there are four sites which straddle
inshore and offshore waters. On the land and in the sea out to 12
nautical miles the identification of SACs is the responsibility of
the country conservation agencies. Beyond 12 nautical miles JNCC is
responsible for the identification of SACs.
There are
four marine habitats and
four marine species present in UK waters away
from the coast for which the European Commission has stated
that additional SACs must be designated. JNCC and the country
conservation agencies are currently working to identify additional
sites.
JNCC is liasing with other Member States over the management
of SACs for international features such as the Dogger Bank, which
extends into
Dutch and
German waters, and Bassurelle Sandbank which lies primarily in
French waters.