Highly Protected Marine Areas: Dolphin Head
Published 5 July 2023
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2023
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This page outlines why Dolphin Head has been designated as a Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA), providing an overview of the ecological importance, where this area is located and our current knowledge of the activities within the area.
HPMAs have the highest levels of protection in our seas. All extractive, destructive and depositional uses are prohibited. This helps the ecosystem to fully recover.
This site became a HPMA on 14 June 2023.
Location
Dolphin Head is an offshore HPMA situated beyond the 12 nautical mile territorial sea limit in the Eastern English Channel region, covering 466km2. It is approximately 55km south of Selsey Bill, West Sussex with depths across the area ranging from approximately 45 to 62 metres.
This HPMA partly overlaps with the designated Offshore Brighton Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) - a type of Marine Protected Area (MPA).
Conservation objective
The Dolphin Head Highly Protected Marine Area (Marine Conservation Zone) Designation Order 2023 sets out the protected feature and the conservation objective applicable within the HPMA site boundary.
The conservation objective of Dolphin Head is to:
- achieve full recovery of the protected feature, including its structure and functions, its qualities and the composition of its characteristic biological communities present within the Dolphin Head Highly Protected Marine Area, to a natural state
- prevent further degradation and damage to the protected feature, subject to natural change
Why we have designated this site as a HPMA
Dolphin Head HPMA is a diverse area within the Eastern Channel which has several habitat types that more broadly support a wide range of benthic and demersal species. In addition to these, several species, including seabirds such as the Common guillemot, Lesser black-backed gull and Northern gannet and two marine mammals, the Grey seal and Harbour porpoise, are also likely to use this area.
The seabed in this area contains animal dominated rocky reef as well as coarse and mixed sediment habitats. Areas of ross worm reef occur on the mixed sediments. These small tube building worms build reefs which help to stabilise cobble, pebble and gravel habitats. This structural complexity enhances the biodiversity and abundance of benthic species present in this area. Ross worm reef habitats in this area are significant for nature conservation, however this type of habitat is particularly affected by dredging or trawling and in heavily dredged or disturbed areas an impoverished community may be left.
This HPMA is thought to be in a relatively degraded state following the impacts of human activity, with the partially overlapping MCZ in unfavourable condition. However, the habitats in this area have a good recovery potential if these existing pressures are removed. Therefore, designating a HPMA here presents an opportunity to fully recover habitats and species present across this area and within the overlapping MCZ, where additional restrictions on human activities might help progress towards meeting its conservation objectives. As the HPMA overlaps with an existing Marine Protected Area (MPA) (Offshore Brighton MCZ), the higher conservation objective for the HPMA will also apply to the protected features of the existing MPA in the overlapping area.
The Eastern Channel region is known as a popular area for fishing. The designation of Dolphin Head would help protect the spawning and nursery grounds of at least six commercially important fish species such as Atlantic cod, European plaice and sole, as well as other ecologically important fish species.
The consultation response shows designation would be welcomed by a high majority of stakeholders, with very high support from recreational fishers and generally high levels of support from commercial fishers.
Protecting the whole site
HPMAs take a ‘whole site approach’, therefore the entire marine ecosystem within the HPMA boundary is designated for protection.
The protected feature of the Dolphin Head HPMA is defined in the Designation Order as ‘the marine ecosystem of the area’.
‘The marine ecosystem’ means all marine flora and fauna, all marine habitats and all geological or geomorphological interests, including all abiotic elements and supporting ecosystem functions and processes, in or on the seabed, water column and the sea surface.
Some of the broadscale habitats are listed below, but the list is not exhaustive.
- Atlantic and Mediterranean high energy circalittoral rock
- sublittoral coarse sediment
- sublittoral mixed sediment
As well as these habitats, a range of mobile species, including birds, marine mammals and multiple species of fish and shellfish are also likely to use this area and form part of the protected feature when within the designated site. For further information, please refer to the ecological narrative developed for the candidate HPMA boundaries ahead of consultation.
Management of the site
A more precautionary approach to the management of activities is advised for HPMAs than is the case for existing MPAs. The government’s vision for HPMAs is that these will be areas of the sea that allow the protection and recovery of marine ecosystems by prohibiting extractive, destructive and depositional uses and allowing only nondamaging levels of other activities to the extent permitted by international law.
Dolphin Head HPMA is designated as an MCZ under the Marine and Coastal Access Act (MCAA). The MCAA Section 125 places a general duty on public authorities to carry out their functions in the manner that they consider best furthers – or least hinders – the conservation objectives set for MCZs. Activities should only be permitted if the public authority is satisfied that there is no significant risk that the activity will hinder the achievement of the conservation objectives or if certain conditions are met (MCAA 126 (5)-(7)).
Regulators, including the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs), will aim to introduce necessary management measures in due course.
Management can take several different forms, including use of the existing planning and licensing regimes, specific byelaws and orders. Public consultation will be carried out as required for permanent byelaws and orders. For activities that require authorisation, public authorities must consider the site in their decision as soon as the site is consulted on.
High level and site-specific conservation advice by statutory nature conservation bodies (SNCBs), JNCC and Natural England, will provide further guidance related to management of HPMAs to meet the conservation objective.
Other guidance documents will also be available to support public authorities in their duties in relation to the management of HPMAs under MCAA.