Protection plans for marine areas

The Wash in Norfolk attracts wildlife because it is rich in food sources

Industry groups are to be consulted over proposals for three new marine conservation sites which would stretch from the Wash to the Thames Estuary.

The sites are proposed as the latest additions to the Natura 2000 network of European areas designed to protect important habitats, species and birds.

Fishermen, energy and wind farm firms, leisure interests, and sand and gravel extractors are to be consulted.

Natural England said potential impacts of the sites would be considered.

The most northerly proposed Special Area of Conservation is between Lincolnshire and Norfolk covering the Outer Wash at Inner Dowsing, Race Bank and North Ridge.

These were selected as important sandbanks and Ross worm reefs.

Assessing impacts

The potential Outer Thames Special Protected Area is a string of three sites off the coasts of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

The area stretches from Caister-on-Sea in Norfolk to Woodbridge in Suffolk.

The Natura 2000 network of marine protected areas is a vital way of ensuring that our most important marine habitats and bird species are effectively protected Shaun Thomas Natural England

It also includes an area near Lowestoft and the outer part of the estuary east of a line north from Sheerness in Kent to Shoeburyness in Essex.

Natural England said: "This area supports almost 40% of the country's red-throated diver population with more than 6,000 of the birds overwintering there.

"They are attracted by herring, sprat, gobies, sand eels and various flatfish that make up the bulk of their diet."

Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee are asking for comments on the scientific reasons for proposing the sites.

They also want to make an assessment of the likely impacts of the sites on marine industries such as fishing, recreation, sand and gravel extraction, wind farms and the oil and gas industry.

'Precious landscapes'

If approved, the new sites would treble the number of existing conserved and protected marine areas in England.

Shaun Thomas, Natural England's East of England regional director, said: "The Natura 2000 network of marine protected areas is a vital way of ensuring that our most important marine habitats and bird species are effectively protected.

"The consultation on the proposed new sites will create significant opportunities to promote understanding of our precious marine undersea landscapes.

"It will also enable the sharing of information to help refine the evidence for the proposed sites and to help users of the marine environment to work together to develop future management measures."