Marine Protected Areas

What type of MPAs are there in Sussex?

There are several types of MPAs according to how, why and by whom they were designated. The Sussex IFCA district contains a suite of different MPAs:

• Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) protect nationally important habitats, species, ecological processes, and geology.
• European Marine Sites (EMS), comprising Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) which protect marine habitats or species of European importance, and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) which protect bird species of European importance and regularly occurring migratory birds.
• Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) protect any area of special interest for its flora, fauna, geological or physiological features. These are coastal (and terrestrial) designations with some sites protecting marine features.
• OSPAR sites (designated under the Oslo/Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic) and RAMSAR sites (wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention).

Under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MACAA) and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010, IFCAs have duties to manage these sites and further their conservation objectives.

Voluntary Marine Protected Areas

In addition to statutory designated sites, Sussex IFCA has a role in supporting and managing voluntary protected areas, these include:

Sussex IFCA MPA Map

What are EMS?

EMS protect wildlife habitats and species of European importance through Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) that are covered by tidal waters. These sites contain some of England’s most vulnerable marine wildlife and habitats.

SAC are designated under the Habitats Directive to conserve marine habitats or species of European importance listed in Annex I and II of the Directive.

SPA, established under the Birds Directive, protect populations of bird species of European importance listed in Annex I of the Directive and/or regularly occurring migratory birds within the EU.

Managing fisheries in EMS

In 2012 Defra issued a revised approach to commercial fisheries management in EMS in English inshore waters, to ensure that all existing and potential commercial fishing activities are managed in accordance with the EU Habitats and Birds Directives.

Habitats Regulations Assessments for all fishing activity/feature interactions have been completed for every EMS within the Sussex IFCA district to determine whether management of an activity is required to conserve site features. The Authority has subsequently formulated management where necessary.