South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MPA
Status: Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ)
South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ is located in the Western Channel and Celtic Sea region, off the northern coast of Cornwall.
Although primarily offshore, South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ spans the 12 nm territorial seas limit into the inshore area. Therefore, advice for this MPA is jointly delivered with Natural England.
Site
Located in the Western Channel and Celtic Sea region, South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ lies off the northern coast of Cornwall. The site covers an area of 1,128 km2 and the eastern end of the site overlaps with part of the Bristol Channel Approaches Special Area of Conservation, designated to protect harbour porpoise.
The site lies across the 12 nm territorial sea limit, and therefore advice for this MPA is jointly delivered with Natural England.
The site contributes to the protection of two broad-scale habitats: Subtidal coarse sediment and Subtidal sand. These habitats support a variety of species which commonly bury into the seabed such as, worms, anemones, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and razor clams.
More detailed site information can be found in the Summary section below.
Map displaying the South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MPA boundary and associated protected feature data. Visit JNCC's MPA Mapper to further view and explore data for this MPA.
Legislation
Legislation behind the designation: Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009)
Protected Features
| Protected Feature | Feature Type |
| Subtidal coarse sediment | Broad-scale habitat |
| Subtidal sand | Broad-scale habitat |
Specific information on the conservation objectives related to this site is provided in the Conservation Advice section.
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 Monitoring and Evidence section.
Site Timeline
The diagram below is a summary of the key milestones involved in the selection and designation of South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ. More detail can be found within the Relevant Documentation section and in the post-consultation advice.
Relevant Documentation
The documents referred to below and any other historical documents relating to South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ were produced during the selection and designation process and therefore may be out of date.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 JNCC's MCZ webpage.
- South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ Designation Order – the official description of the site designation under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. The Designation Order includes boundary co-ordinates, Conservation Objectives and a list of the designated features. More information on the designation, including a designation map and factsheet is available on Defra's website.
- JNCC's pre- and post-consultation scientific advice for features proposed for designation in 2019.
- JNCC's formal conservation advice for this site is available in the Conservation Advice section.
Summary
Last updated: June 2020
Information for this site summary was adapted from JNCC’s scientific advice to Defra on South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ and incorporates any further information gathered since the advice was produced. Please refer to the Relevant Documentation section for further details and information sources.
Site overview
South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ is located off the northern coast of Cornwall. It has an area of approximately 1,128 km2 and ranges from roughly 50 m to 100 m deep. South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ was recommended as a new site to address the gaps in the Subtidal coarse sediment and Subtidal sand representation in the MPA network.
Two types of sediments are designated within this MCZ: Subtidal coarse sediment and Subtidal sand. The presence of these features is supported by grab sample data from the British Geological Survey. The site is mostly characterised by Subtidal coarse sediment; a mixture of shell fragments, gravels, shingles and cobbles, but also has areas of Subtidal sand in the south-eastern end and central area of the MCZ. These habitats support a variety of species including worms, anemones, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and razor clams. The UKSeaMap 2018 broad-scale habitat map also indicates some small scattered patches of moderate energy circalittoral rock within the site, however this feature has not been confirmed by ground-truthing.
Further detail on the evidence for this MCZ can be found in the Monitoring and Evidence section.
Site location: Co-ordinates for this MCZ can be found in the Designation Order listed in the Relevant Documentation section.
Site area: 1,128 km2 (about 10 times the size of Bristol city).
Site depth range: 50–100 m.
Charting Progress 2 Biogeographic Region: Western Channel and Celtic Sea.
Site boundary description: The site is a simple rectangular polygon, the longest axis of which runs South-West to North-East parallel to the northern coast of Cornwall. The site has been drawn in line with the guidance provided by the MCZ project Ecological Network Guidance (ENG). The eastern part of the site overlaps the Bristol Channel Approaches Special Area of Conservation.
Monitoring and Evidence
Last updated: November 2023
Site-specific data
There are a range of data that underpin this MCZ. The full overview of these data used to support site identification along with information on confidence in feature presence and extent is available in JNCC’s Tranche Three MCZ pre-consultation and post-consultation scientific advice for offshore Marine Conservation Zones proposed for designation in 2019. JNCC will be adding relevant survey data for this MPA to its MPA Mapper in due course.
The evidence base for South West Approaches to the Bristol Channel MCZ has been built solely from UKSeaMap and BGS data.
Knowledge Gaps
As part of the UK Marine Monitoring and Assessment Strategy (UKMMAS), JNCC led the development of a UK Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy, working with partners across the UK monitoring community. The Strategy spans UK territorial and offshore waters, focusing on biodiversity in the wider environment and within Marine Protected Areas. Its aim is to implement efficient, integrated monitoring of marine biodiversity to provide the evidence needed for all the UK's policy drivers.
The evidence collected during MPA monitoring surveys is used in combination with other available evidence to:
- Enable assessment of condition of the features within sites;
- Contribute to the 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.
More detail on offshore MPA monitoring can be found on the Offshore MPA monitoring webpage. A list of monitoring surveys and relevant reports can be found on the MPA monitoring survey reports webpage.
If you are aware of any additional information not referred to in the Relevant Documentation section or above, please contact us.
Conservation Advice
Last updated: June 2020
The overarching conservation objectives for the site is for its designated feature either to remain in or reach favourable condition. The ability of a designated feature to remain in or reach favourable condition can be affected by its sensitivity to pressures associated with activities taking place within or in close proximity to a protected site.
Formal conservation advice is not currently available for this MPA and will be added in due course. JNCC will work alongside Natural England to develop a joint conservation advice package for this site.
In the interim, please see JNCC’s Tranche 3 MCZ post-consultation advice for more detail.
Further information on JNCC’s approach used to develop conservation advice packages is available on our 'Conserving MPAs' webpage along with a Glossary of Terms used in JNCC conservation advice and a short video explaining how to use the conservation advice packages.
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