Offshore Natura Consultation

THIS CONSULTATION HAS NOW CLOSED. JNCC are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and a report of the consultation will be available from this website in due course.

Information on previous JNCC consultations on offshore Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) can be found in our consultation archive.

2011 Consultation on three offshore possible Special Areas of Conservation

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is currently formally consulting on three new possible SACs (pSACs) in UK offshore waters. These are Pisces Reef Complex and Croker Carbonate Slabs in the Irish Sea and Wight-Barfleur Reef in the English Channel. The closing date for the 12 week formal consultation is 29th September 2011.

The purpose of the consultation

The purpose of the consultation is to seek the views of all interested parties on:

The scientific case for the designation; and
The assessment of the likely economic and social impact of the designation of the site.

How to respond to this consultation

First read this document which provides you with full guidance to the consultation. Then read the documents you are interested in below.

Please make your response in writing using our template for responses and or post your response back to JNCC. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the consultation that are not already covered in our Frequently Asked Questions.

Site documentation

	Possible SACs: Associated Documents
	Croker Carbonate Slabs pSAC (Annex I Submarine structures made by leaking gases) SAC Selection Assessment Document Consultation Impact Assessment GIS boundary Map and co-ordinates of pSAC
	Pisces Reef Complex pSAC (Annex I Reef) SAC Selection Assessment Document SAC Supplementary Brief Consultation Impact Assessment GIS boundary Map and co-ordinates of pSAC
	Wight-Barfleur Reef pSAC (Annex I Reef) SAC Selection Assessment Document Consultation Impact Assessment GIS boundary Map and co-ordinates of pSAC

Possible SACs: Associated Documents

Methane Derived Authigenic Carbonate (MDAC) structure covered with the robust hydroid Tubularia sp. and the soft coral Alcyonium digitatum © JNCC

Croker Carbonate Slabs pSAC (Annex I Submarine structures made by leaking gases)

Pisces Reef Complex pSAC (Annex I Reef)

Scoured bedrock reef with the bryozoan Flustra foliacea, anemones, colonial tunicates and sponges © Crown Copyright

Wight-Barfleur Reef pSAC (Annex I Reef)

Draft Conservation Objectives and Advice on Operations for the sites are provided on our possible SACs web page for information. These do not form part of the formal consultation, but JNCC are happy to receive comments on these documents.

Following the consultation

Following the consultation, JNCC will collate and consider responses made and report to Government on the outcome. We will amend the site recommendations if justified and update the impact assessments to submit to Government with the report of the consultation. A summary report of the consultation will be publicly available on this website.