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Important bird areas
Important Bird Areas © MMO Marine Plan Explorer

Solent Marine Sites (SEMS)

The Solent hosts a number of Marine Protected Areas: a maritime Special Area of Conservation (SAC); four Special Protection Areas (SPAs), three Ramsar sites and three Marine Conservation Zones (MCZ). The SAC and SPA designations have become known collectively as the Solent Marine Sites (SEMS) and can be seen on this illustrative map. The Solent also hosts three Marine Conservation Zones, these are designated under different legislation, please see our MCZ page.

For definitive boundary designations please use Defra's online Magic Map. More detailed information on specific sites and their reason for designation is available on Natural England's Designated Sites System. The JNCC mapper can be used to locate sites with marine components.

Please refer to our Site Condition and Advice page for information on condition assessments and conservation advice for these sites.

Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation

The Solent Maritime SAC has been selected for the following habitats:

Component SSSIs

Bouldnor and Hamstead Cliffs SSSI, Chichester Harbour SSSI, Eling and Bury Marshes SSSI, Hurst Castle and Lymington River Estuary SSSI, Hythe to Calshot Marshes SSSI, King's Quay Shore SSSI, Langstone Harbour SSSI, Lee-on-The Solent to Itchen Estuary SSSI, Lincegrove and Hackett's Marshes SSSI, Lower Test Valley SSSI, Medina Estuary SSSI, Newtown Harbour SSSI, North Solent SSSI, Thorness Bay SSSI, Upper Hamble Estuary and Woods SSSI, Yar Estuary SSSI.

Special Protection Areas and Ramsar sites

The Solent and Southampton Water SPA and Ramsar site boundaries differ in places, however the boundaries for the Portsmouth Harbour and Chichester and Langstone Harbour SPA and Ramsar sites are concurrent.

Solent and Dorset Coast SPA

This SPA seeks to protect the internationally important populations of:

This SPA protects close to 1,000 pairs of terns and spans an area of more than 891 km2. This area is particularly important to these birds as much of the sea around their breeding colonies is the ideal habitat for plunge diving for food.

Chichester and Langstone Harbours SPA/Ramsar

Chichester and Langstone Harbours SPA 

Both Chichester and Langstone Harbours contain extensive intertidal mudflats and sandflats with areas of seagrass beds, saltmarsh, shallow coastal waters, coastal lagoons, coastal grazing marsh and shingle ridges and islands. These habitats support internationally and nationally important numbers of overwintering and breeding bird species. At low tide the mudflats are exposed, the water is drained by channels and creeks which meet to form narrow exits into the Solent. The sediments support rich populations of intertidal invertebrates, which provide an important food source for overwintering birds. There are more than 300 ha of seagrass beds (Zostera noltii and Zostera marina) in the SPA which are an important food source for dark-bellied Brent geese. Overwintering birds also feed and roost in the saltmarsh areas, which are dominated by cordgrass (Spartina) swards, as well as on coastal grazing marsh.

Component SSSIs: Chichester Harbour SSSI and Langstone Harbour SSSI.

Chichester and Langstone Harbours Ramsar site has been selected for the following:

Solent and Southampton Water SPA/Ramsar

Solent and Southampton Water SPA

Estuarine sediments within the site support rich populations of invertebrates that provide an important food source for wintering birds. The Solent as a whole exceeds 90,000 waders annually and the mudflats, coastal lagoons, shingle and saltmarsh provide vital feeding and roosting grounds for these. The shingle banks also provide important breeding grounds for terns. The Solent also supports 10-13% of world’s population of dark-bellied Brent geese, and 30% of the UK population.

Solent and Southampton Water Ramsar site has been selected for the following:

SPA component SSSIs

Brading Marshes to St. Helen's Ledges, SSSIEling and Bury Marshes SSSI, Hurst Castle and Lymington River Estuary SSSI, Hythe to Calshot Marshes SSSI, King's Quay Shore SSSI, Lee-on-The Solent to Itchen Estuary SSSI, Lincegrove and Hackett's Marshes SSSI, Lower Test Valley SSSI, Lymington River Reedbeds SSSI, Medina Estuary SSSI, Newtown Harbour SSSI, North Solent SSSI, River Test SSSI, Ryde Sands and Wootton Creek SSSI, Sowley Pond SSSI, The New Forest SSSI, Thorness Bay SSSI, Titchfield Haven SSSI, Upper Hamble Estuary and Woods SSSI, Whitecliff Bay and Bembridge Ledges SSSI, Yar Estuary SSSI.

Portsmouth Harbour SPA/Ramsar

Portsmouth Harbour SPA

The harbour has been classified as a Special Protection Area (SPA) due to internationally and nationally important numbers of birds and specifically protects the following features: dark-bellied Brent goose; red-breasted merganser; dunlin; and black-tailed godwit. There are approximately 77 ha of seagrass beds in Portsmouth Harbour, which are found mainly in the north-west of the harbour. These beds include both Zostera marina (found on the low shore) and Zostera noltii (on the upper to mid shore). The seagrass beds are amongst the most extensive in Britain and are an important food source for dark-bellied Brent goose. The saltmarsh areas are mainly comprised of cordgrass (Spartina) swards and provide feeding and roosting areas for overwintering birds. View the Portsmouth Harbour SPA Condition Assessment.

Component SSSI: Portsmouth Harbour SSSI

Portsmouth Harbour Ramsar site has been selected for the following: