The Hamble Estuary’s Nature Conservation Sites - Natural England’s Role The Hamble Estuary Partnership 3 rd December 2013 Hilary Crane Marine Lead Adviser

Overview Natural England’s purpose / role The designated nature conservation sites of the River Hamble Natural England’s work on the River Hamble –Site monitoring and management –Conservation Advice –Casework Questions

Natural England’s Role “ To protect and improve England’s natural environment and encourage people to enjoy and get involved in their surroundings.” Non-departmental Public Body responsible to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. We work with farmers, land owners, developers, planning authorities, harbour authorities, other regulatory agencies, scientists / researchers and the general public.

The River Hamble’s Designated Sites Solent Maritime SAC Estuaries Intertidal mudflats / sandflats Saltmarsh Subtidal sandbanks Lagoons Vegetated shingle Sand dunes Desmoulin’s whorl snail

The River Hamble’s Designated Sites Solent & Southampton Water SPA/Ramsar Over-wintering birds – Brent Geese, Black- tailed Godwit, Teal and Ringed Plover Breeding birds – Mediterranean Gull, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Roseate Tern and Little Tern Waterfowl assemblage Wetland habitats - lagoons, saltmarshes, estuaries, intertidal flats, shallow coastal waters, grazing marshes, reedbeds, coastal woodland and reefs Assemblage of rare plants and invertebrates

The River Hamble’s Designated Sites Sites of Special Scientific Interest Mudflats Saltmarsh Vegetated shingle Ancient broad-leaved woodland - including rare Wild Service and Small-leaved Lime Coastal grazing marsh Reedbeds Vegetated shingle Heathland Invertebrates - including Purple Emperor Rare coastal plants Over-wintering birds – Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Curlew, Teal, Wigeon and Great Crested Grebe.

Natural England’s Work on the Hamble Site Monitoring SSSI condition assessments – Lincegrove & Hacketts Marshes 2013 Unfavourable recovering – good range of saltmarsh species present including Carex extensa and Sarcocornia perennis, with transition to reedbed or sea couch at the landward edge. Threats from diffuse water pollution and smothering from algal mats

Natural England’s Work on the Hamble Site Monitoring Solent Maritime SAC Survey of subtidal communities in partnership with the Environment Agency Estuary characterisation – o Tidal regime o Topography - physical form o Morphology – indicator for anthropogenic changes EA’s saltmarsh and macroalgae tools for Water Framework Directive monitoring

Natural England’s Work on the Hamble Site Management Stewardship agreements and advice to land owners Solent Diffuse Water Pollution Plan – with EA Catchment Sensitive Farming partnership project – capital grants targeting equine holdings in 2014/15 Working with MMO and SIFCA on management of fisheries within European Marine Sites

Natural England’s Work on the Hamble Conservation Advice Updating Favourable Condition Tables for SSSIs o Lincegrove & Hacketts Marshes; Upper Hamble Estuary and Woods finalised this summer – awaiting QA o Lee-on-the-Solent to Itchen Estuary – due next year Updating our Conservation Advice for European Marine Sites o Solent Maritime SAC – by October 2014 o Solent and Southampton Water SPA/Ramsar – draft by April 2015

Natural England’s Work on the Hamble Casework o Natural England is a statutory consultee for many types of licenses and permissions. We provide our advice to the regulators who then determine the application taking account of the relevant nature conservation interests. o We also provide advice to land owners, developers and other agencies (e.g. Highways, Water companies) o Individual project assessment and in-combination (cumulative) effects

Questions?