JNCC have prepared updated formal
conservation advice for Offshore Brighton MCZ. Further
information is available on the Conservation Advice tab
below.
The acquisition of new data may result in updates to our
knowledge on feature presence and extent within this site. The most
up to date information is reflected on the map on this page and in
JNCC’s MPA mapper and the evidence
underpinning this can be viewed in the Evidence
tab.
The diagram below is a summary of the key
milestones involved in the selection and designation of Offshore
Brighton MCZ. More detail can be found within the
Relevant Documentation and Annex 3 of the JNCC
Advice on possible offshore MCZs considered for consultation
in 2015.
The documents referred to below and any other historical
documents relating to Offshore Brighton MCZ were produced during
the selection and designation process and therefore may be out of
date. This Site Information Centre is the most up to date
source of information for this MPA, and will reflect any additional
information gathered since these documents were produced. Further
information about the Marine Conservation Zone site selection
process and historic MCZ advice is available on the JNCC MCZ
pages.
Summary
Last updated: October 2017
Information for this site summary was adapted from
JNCC’s pre and post consultation
advice for Tranche Two MCZs (January 2016), in
conjunction with the MCZ
site report produced by Cefas for the MB0120 survey
(September 2015). Please refer to these documents for further
details and information sources. The summary also incorporates any
further information gathered since these documents were
produced.
Site overview
Offshore Brighton MCZ lies
in the deeper waters of the Eastern-English Channel, 45km from the
coast, and located to the south of the Offshore Overfalls MCZ . It’s south-eastern and
south-western corners meet the median line due south of Brighton
where the water depths range between 40m and 80m. The site includes
coarse and mixed sediments with areas of exposed rock. Offshore
Brighton MCZ was originally recommended by the Balance Seas
Regional MCZ Project in 2011 and is considered to be an important
representation of high energy circalittoral rock within the 75-200m
depth bracket. The site was prioritised for additional
evidence collection in a verification survey undertaken by JNCC and
Cefas in 2012 to improve confidence in the presence and extent of
broad-scale habitats and habitat Features of Conservation
Importance (FOCI).
The survey collected sediment samples, video tows and camera
stills data as well as opportunistic acoustic data within the
site. The survey work confirmed the presence of broad-scale
habitats (BSH) High energy circalittoral rock and
subtidal mixed sediments along with an
additional BSH; subtidal coarse sediment. These three
broad-scale habitats were designated as protected features within
the site in January 2016. The broad-scale habitat (BSH) subtidal coarse sediment is the most
widespread, occupying 58% of the MCZ and located mainly in the
western area. The BSH subtidal mixed sediments is found in the
eastern third of the site and occupies 27% of the area. The
regional sediment distribution is influenced by a large scale
geomorphological feature; the English Channel Palaeovalley System.
The BSH high energy circalittoral rock is
exposed where a tributary channel system merges with the deeper
paleovalley in the north west of the site and occupies 15% of the
total MCZ.
Offshore Brighton MCZ was included in the proposed network
because of its contribution to Ecological Network Guidance (ENG)
criteria to BSH, and its added ecological importance. From the 2012
survey a total of 167 infaunal and 63 epifaunal taxa were recorded.
This data was reviewed by the JNCC in 2014 and statistically
analysed to reveal the potential biotopes present within the
site.
From the infaunal data analysis JNCC concluded the community
across the site could be matched to A5.451
Polychaete-rich deep Venus community in offshore mixed
sediments which is a diverse community particularly rich
in polychaetes (worms) with significant numbers of venerid bivalve
(Venus clams). The epifaunal community appeared to be dominated by
two biotopes including A5.444 Flustra
foliacea and Hydrallmania falcata on tide-swept circalittoral
mixed sediment , dominated by the hornwrack
(Flustra foliacea ) and the hydroid
Hydrallmania falcata represents part of a
transition between sand-scoured circalittoral rock and a sediment
biotope. The second possible biotope was identified as A5.445 Ophiothrix
fragilis and/or Ophiocomina nigra brittlestar beds on sublittoral
mixed sediment , dominated by brittlestars (hundreds or
thousands per meter2). The full report of this analysis will be
published shortly. Further detail on the evidence for this MCZ/can
be found on the Evidence tab.
Site location: Coordinates for this
MCZ can be found in the Designation Order listed in the Relevant
Documentation.
Site area: 862km2
which is roughly ten times the size of Brighton.
Site depth range: 40m to 80m.
Charting Progress 2 biogeographic region -
Eastern Channel.
Site boundary description
The location and
shape (a large rectangle) of the site was chosen to capture the
features and areas of biodiversity richness described above.
However, given the comparatively large area of ocean involved, it
was possible through discussions at the stakeholder meetings to
design the boundaries so that socio-economic impact to both the UK
and French fishing fleets that use this area extensively was
reduced. The lower boundary was set to avoid a heavily used French
scallop fishing area to the south of the site, and the site was
moved as much as possible to the west to avoid areas to the east
heavily used by both UK and Belgian mobile fleets (Offshore
Task Group 2, Mar 2011 ).
Evidence
Last updated: October 2017
The full overview of the various data used to support site
identification along with information on confidence in feature
presence and extent are available in the
Scientific advice on possible offshore Marine Conservation Zones
considered for consultation in 2015 and the Scientific
advice on offshore Marine Conservation Zones proposed for
designation in 2015/16. JNCC will be adding relevant
survey data for this MPA to the JNCC Interactive
MPA Map in due course. Data for this MCZ have been
collected primarily through JNCC funded or collaborative surveys
and some through other data sourcing. Data gathered provide
direct evidence confirming the presence of the protected features
within the site.
Survey and data gathering
- Offshore Brighton MCZ MB0120 Survey (2012) - JNCC collaborated
with Cefas on an MCZ site verification survey to Offshore Brighton
MCZ, funded through the MB0120 Defra data collection. Video,
images, acoustic data and grab samples were collected across the
site.
Data analysis reports
- EUSeaMap (2016)
- Provides supporting information on the presence and extent
of high cirrcalittoral rock, subtidal coarse sediment and
subtidal mixed sediments from a predictive seabed habitat map
of European waters.
- JNCC Community Analysis of Offshore
Brighton MCZ data (2016) - JNCC undertook a community
analysis of grab and video data to establish biotopes present. The
following European Nature Information System (EUNIS) biotopes were
assigned after multivariate analsysis of the 2012 survey data. The
Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland (version
15.03, JNCC 2015) has been provided in brackets: EUNIS Level 5
biotopes:
A5.451 Polychaete-rich deep Venus community in offshore mixed
sediments (SS.SMX.OMx.PoVen)
A5.445 Ophiothrix fragilis and/or Ophiocomina
nigra brittlestar beds on sublittoral mixed sediment(SS.SMx.CMx.OphMx)
A5.444 Flustra foliacea and Hydrallmania falcata
on tide-swept circalittoral mixed sediment (SS.SMx.CMx.FluHyd).
Additional relevant literature
References for further supporting scientific literature
consulted during the identification of this site can be found in
the (MCZ) annexes of our advice. Please be
aware that although these sources contain information in relation
to this MPA, they do not necessarily represent the views of
JNCC.
Knowledge gaps
If you are aware of any
additional data or relevant scientific papers for this site not
listed in the relevant documentation, or the Offshore Brighton Site
Summary Document listed in the relevant documents section, or the
annexes of the MCZ advice documents, please contact JNCC.
Conservation Advice
Last updated: March 2018
Updated formal conservation advice is now available for this
MPA. Further information on the approach used to develop this
advice is available on the Conservation
Advice webpage along with a Glossary of
Terms used in JNCC conservation advice.
You must refer to this advice if you:
- undertake a Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) for a plan or
project that could impact the site;
- provide information for a HRA;
- respond to specific measures to prevent the deterioration of
habitats and significant disturbances of features; and
- consider the need to put new or additional management measures
in place.
You may also find it useful to refer to this advice if you:
- carry out any other activity that could impact the site.
We will engage with stakeholders to identify
any lessons which JNCC can learn from customers who have used the
advice, with a view to continuing to ensure it is
fit-for-purpose.
The following table provides an overview of
the components of the conservation advice, and provides hyperlinks
to each of the products for this MPA. These elements together
form JNCC’s formal conservation advice for this site and should be
read in conjunction with each other. This advice reflects the most
up-to-date evidence held by JNCC (correct as of March
2018). A zipped folder enabling these documents to be
downloaded together is available at the bottom of this
page.
Document |
Overview |
Background
Information |
Explains the purpose of the advice and when it must be referred
to.
|
Conservation
Objectives
Supplementary Advice on
the Conservation Objectives (SACO) |
The Conservation Objectives set out the broad
ecological aims for the site. JNCC provide supplementary advice in
the SACO which is essential reading to support interpretation of
these conservation objectives.
You can use these documents to assess the
impacts of your planned activity on the important attributes of the
site.
|
Conservation
Advice Statements |
Site condition presents our up to date understanding of the
condition of feature (s) within the site;
Conservation benefits which the site can provide, these help you
understand what is important about the site and why it needs
protecting; and
Conservation measures which JNCC consider are needed to support
achievement of the conservation objectives. These provide clarity
around measures needed to support restoration or maintenance of the
feature(s) within the site.
|
Advice on
Operations |
Provides information on the activities capable of affecting site
integrity and therefore achievement of the site’s conservation
objectives.
This is a starting point for determining potential management
requirements. It does not take into account the intensity,
frequency or cumulative impacts from activities taking place.
It is simply to advise you of the possible adverse impacts that
your activity can have on a MPA’s features.
Use the advice on operations to determine those pressures your
activity causes that could harm the habitat and/or species features
of the site.
|
Download
You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this
document.
Activities and Management
Last updated: April 2017
Management
status: Progressing
towards being well managed
The vulnerability assessment conducted for
this site suggests it is unlikely to be moving towards its
conservation objectives, but directed site condition monitoring
data are needed to improve our confidence in this assessment.
Progress is ongoing with regards to the recommendation of a
fisheries management proposal to the European Commission.
|
This site forms part of the UK's contribution to the OSPAR
commission’s network of MPA's and the Emerald network
established under the Bern Convention. As the UK
is a member of the OSPAR commission, JNCC are
committed to ensuring that the OSPAR MPA network is ‘well-managed’ by
2020.
JNCC consider ‘well-managed’ to mean the
timely progress of an MPA around the ‘MPA management cycle’. This
involves:
1) The
documentation of appropriate management information - conservation
objectives, advice on activities capable of affecting the protected
features of a site, and spatial information on the presence and
extent of the protected features of a site.
2) The
implementation of management measures - management actions
considered necessary to achieve the conservation objectives of a
site.
3) Site
condition monitoring programmes – collecting the information
necessary to determine progress towards a sites conservation
objectives.
4) Assessment
of progress towards conservation objectives – using available
information to infer whether or not a site is moving towards or has
achieved its conservation objectives.
The sub-sections that follow provide an account of the progress
of Offshore Brighton MCZ around each of these four stages in the
MPA management cycle:
- The documentation of appropriate management information
- The conservation objectives and advice on activities capable of
affecting the conservation status of the protected feature of this
site are available under the conservation advice tab.
- JNCC are in the process of improving our MPA conservation
advice packages. Further information is available on our conservation
advice pages.
- Spatial information on the presence and extent of the protected
feature of this MPA is available via JNCCs MPA mapper.
- JNCC are in the process of developing downloadable MPA data
packages where appropriate permissions to share datasets are in
place.
The implementation of management measures
This section details progress towards the implementation of
management measures for activities considered capable of affecting
the conservation status of the protected features of the site. The
protected features of the site are considered to be sensitive to
pressures associated with fishing, telecommunication cables and
military activity.
Fisheries
- There is evidence of mobile
demersal, mobile pelagic and static gear effort within the MPA and
UK and non-UK registered vessels have been active in the area.
- The site falls outside the
UK’s 12 nautical mile limit and is to be exclusively managed under
the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). In accordance with Article 18
of the revised
CFP, requests for management will be developed jointly between
the UK Government and any Member States with a direct management
interest in the area affected.
- The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) are the lead authority
regarding the implementation of, and compliance with, any measures
to managing fishing activity. Further information on progress is
available via
MMO webpages.
Telecommunications cables
- Two telecommunications cables
currently cross through the MPA.
- Cables are largely an
unregulated activity in offshore waters depending upon the type of
cable being laid (or maintained), where it is being laid between
and whether the cable is part of a larger development (which may be
regulated). Any cable not directly associated with an energy
installation does not require a marine license beyond 12 nautical
miles.
- JNCC encourages early
discussion from operators regarding any plans related to new or
existing cables, and encourages the undertaking of non-statutory
environmental impact assessments for new or existing cable projects
to assess their effect on the protected features of the MPA.
Military activity
- Low level military activity may take
place within the MCZ. The MoD have incorporated all designated
MPAs into their Environmental Protection Guidelines (Maritime) and
wider Marine Environmental and Sustainability Assessment Tool.
These guidelines are used to manage MOD
activity to minimise the associated risks to the environment.
Site condition
monitoring
Site condition monitoring surveys are yet to
take place within this MPA. Further information will be made
available under the monitoring tab in due course.
Progression towards conservation objectives
No long-term condition monitoring data is
available to determine whether the MPA is moving towards or has
reached its conservation objectives. The site’s protected features
have ‘recover’ conservation objectives, based on a vulnerability
assessment that examined exposure to activities associated with
pressures to which the protected features of the site are
considered sensitive. This suggests that the site is unlikely to be
moving towards its conservation objectives but site condition
monitoring data would improve our confidence in this assessment.
Further information will be provided under the assessment tab as it
becomes available.
Monitoring
Last updated: October 2017
JNCC is currently leading on the development of a strategy for
biodiversity monitoring across all UK waters, to include MPA
monitoring. For MPAs, data and evidence collected from monitoring
activities will aim to:
- Enable assessment of condition of the features within
sites;
- Enable assessment of the degree to which management measures
are effective in achieving the conservation objectives for the
protected features;
- Support the identification of priorities for future protection
and/or management; and,
- Enable Government to fulfil its national and international
assessment and reporting commitments in relation to MPAs and help
identify where further action may be required .
Information on monitoring of this MPA will be provided when it
becomes available.
Assessment
Last updated: October 2017
Assessments of the condition of designated features in offshore
MPAs are required to report against our legal obligations. Ideally
these assessments should be based on observed data, and then
measured against targets for predefined indicators. However, for
MPAs in offshore waters we do not always have the appropriate
information to be able to do so. This is particularly true for
seabed habitats, which are the main type of feature designated for
protection in offshore MPAs.
To address these challenges, JNCC has been an active partner in
the development of new approaches and tools for the assessment of
habitats and species for a variety of national and international
status reports. They include the second cycle of the Conservation Status Assessment reports under the
EU Habitats Directive, Charting Progress 2
(CP2) and the OSPAR Quality Status
Report (QSR). JNCC continues to develop and pilot tools for the
assessment of marine habitats and species in offshore waters to
improve the quality and transparency of our offshore MPA
assessments, and contribute to the monitoring of marine
biodiversity in UK waters. These tools cover methods for producing
interim assessments of site features and their responses to
pressures, as well as developing more robust indicators for
determining condition of the features.
Under the UK Marine & Coastal Access (2009), JNCC is
required to report to Ministers on the degree to which the
conservation objectives of the protected features of Marine
Conservation Zones (MCZs) have been achieved. Every 6 years
from 2012, the Marine Act requires a report setting out how MCZs
have performed against their conservation objectives, as well as
the effectiveness of the network as a whole. The assessments
of features within MPAs will also feed into six yearly reports on
the state of the marine environment under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD),
which aims to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) by 2020.