Loch Creran

Site details

UK map showing location of Loch Creran Special Area of Conservation/Site of Community Importance.
Location of Loch Creran SAC/SCI/cSAC
Country Scotland
Unitary Authority  Argyll and Bute
Centroid* NM945428
Latitude 56 31 56 N
Longitude 05 20 30 W
SAC EU code UK0030190
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 1226.39
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.

General site character

Marine areas. Sea inlets (99%)
Tidal rivers. Estuaries. Mud flats. Sand flats. Lagoons (including saltwork basins) (1%)


Boundary map and associated biodiversity information on the NBN Gateway.

Natura 2000 data form for this site as submitted to Europe (PDF format, size 30kb).

 

Note:

When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

1170 Reefs
Loch Creran, situated at the northern end of the Firth of Lorn, is a typical fjordic sea loch. The site is particularly notable for biogenic reefs of the calcareous tube-worm Serpula vermicularis, which occur in shallow water around the periphery of the loch. This species has a world-wide distribution but the development of reefs is extremely rare; Loch Creran is the only known site in the UK to contain living S. vermicularis reefs and there are no known occurrences of similarly abundant reefs in Europe. Biogenic reefs of the horse mussel Modiolus modiolus, also confined to the shallow sublittoral, occur in the upper basin of the loch. The biogenic reefs increase habitat complexity and are colonised by an abundant and diverse faunal assemblage, including bryozoans, ascidians and sponges. Localised areas of bedrock reef, which support further species-rich assemblages, are also included within the site.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

Not applicable.

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

Not applicable.

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

Not applicable.


Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.


 
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