Defra has submitted the sites to the European Commission, to be included within the European ‘Natura 2000’ network of protected areas.

The sites include reefs, sea caves and sandbanks, where marine life thrives. Sandbanks act as nursery grounds for many commercial fish species such as plaice and sole whilst also supporting sand eel communities that are a food source for seabirds and mammals such as seals.

Reefs support a colourful array of sponges, sea squirts and corals that provide shelter for crabs, lobsters and fish such as the multi-coloured cuckoo wrasse. Birds will also benefit, with sites selected for the conservation of the red-throated diver and common scoter.

Marine Environment Minister, Richard Benyon, said: “Our seas are home to some of the most diverse species and habitats in the world and they need just as much protection as our land. Today is a major step forward in helping us to achieve clean, healthy and vibrant seas where marine life can thrive.

"Working hand-in-hand with the creation of Marine Conservation Zones, created under the groundbreaking Marine and Coastal Access Act, these sites will make a major contribution to the delivery of an ecological network of Marine Protected Areas by 2012.”

The new candidate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are:

  • Inner Dowsing, Race Bank and North Ridge
  • North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef
  • Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton
  • Margate and Long Sands
  • Bassurelle Sandbank
  • Lyme Bay and Torbay
  • Prawle Point to Plymouth Sound and Eddystone
  • Lizard Point
  • Land’s End and Cape Bank
  • Shell Flat
  • Red Bay
  • North-West Rockall Bank
  • Wyville Thomson Ridge.

The new Special Protection Areas (for birds) are the Outer Thames Estuary and Liverpool Bay/Bae Lerpwl (agreed with the Welsh Assembly Government).

The two possible SACs subject to another consultation by Natural England are  Lune Deep and Prawle Point to Start Point.

The possible SAC being consulted upon by Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) is Dogger Bank. The Dogger Bank is not only an important sandbank habitat but is also a key area for the UK meeting its renewable energy target by 2020.

The identification of the Dogger Bank as both a conservation site and an area for windfarm development illustrates the compatibility that can exist between energy development and nature conservation. The consultations will close on 12th November 2010.

The consultation documents are at http://tinyurl.com/y8af2a4.

Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs)
MCZs are a new national designation as proposed in the new Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.

They are designed to protect nationally important and representative habitats and species and – together with the Natura 2000 sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Ramsar sites and new national MPAs in Scotland and Northern Ireland – will create the MPA network.

MCZs in English inshore and English, Welsh and Northern Irish offshore waters will be identified through a different process to the Natura 2000 sites.

Recommendations can be made to Government by October 2011. More information may be found at:
> http://tinyurl.com/y8af2a4 (England)
> http://tinyurl.com/2agkl4y (Wales)
> http://tinyurl.com/26mahgt (Scotland)
> http://tinyurl.com/23l9h7b and
> http://tinyurl.com/23zvult (N. Ireland)