Solway Firth Special Protection Area Proposed Marine Extension and Site Name Change

Solway Firth Special Protection Area Proposed marine extension and site name change

One of Europe’s best wildlife sites Aerial view of the mudflats Solway Firth at sunset © Patricia and Angus Macdonald/SNH Solway Firth SPA Proposed marine extension and site name change

Our seas are rich in marine life. In winter, the Solway Firth is a stronghold for red-throated diver, common scoter and goosander. Over 3% of the British (GB) diver population, nearly 2% of the common scoter and just over 1% of the goosander GB populations regularly over winter here. The area shown below is proposed as an extension to the existing Upper Solway Flats & Marshes Special Protection Area (SPA) because it supports these important wintering populations. In addition, a review in 2001 of the existing SPA showed that the mudflats, saltmarshes and grazing marshes also support important numbers of ringed plover, lapwing, cormorant, black- headed gull, common gull and herring gull. The addition of these species to the existing SPA and renaming the whole site to the Solway Firth SPA are also being proposed.

Lockerbie New Galloway Dumfries

Annan

Dalbeattie A849 Carlisle A85 Kirkcudbright Wigtown

Whithorn T H I R F A Y Maryport L W S O Cockermouth Workington A83

Upper Solway Flats and Marshes SPA Whitehaven Proposed marine extension

0 5 10 Km

0 5 10 Miles © Crown copyright and database rights 2016 OS 100017908 © Intermap NEXTMap Location: 54º 43.543' N 003º 47.798' W Area: 1,357 km2 © Crown copyright and database rights 2016 OS 100017908 © Intermap NEXTMap interests: Proposed qualifying Red-throated diverinwinterplumage bird assemblage qualifiers * These arenamedwater SPA) the existingpartof (proposed additionsto Ringed plover Lapwing* Herring gull* Cormorant* Common gull* Black-headed gull* extension) in theproposedmarine (species tobeincluded Red-throated diver Goosander* Common Scoter* Wintering grounds and sheltered watersonwhich they depend. the birdsthemselvesaswell astherich feeding The proposedextensiontotheSPA willhelpprotect scaup forroosting,loafing andfeeding. such aswhooperswan,cormorant,commongulland outer firthareusedbyarich assemblageofwaterbirds for thesewinteringbirds.Inaddition,theinnerand and shallowwatersprovideexcellentfeedinghabitat They allforageprimarilybysurfacediving,sotheserich feedexclusivelyonsmallfish. winter andgoosander marine worms.Scotersfeedmainlyonbivalvesduring Red-throated diverstendtofeedonfish,crabsand shellfish such ascrabsandmusselsarealsopresent. spawning andnurserygrounds.Abroadrangeof a largediversityoffish,includingprovidingimportant support Inturn,thesehabitats sub-tidal sandbanks. sandflats, reefs and areas ofintertidalmudflatsand These marinewatersareshallow andsupportextensive Whitehaven (England)andWigtown (Scotland). Bay the marinewaterswestofexistingSPA, between The proposedextensionencompasses of GreatBritain. The SolwayFirthisalargeestuary onthewestcoast

To make a response online or for more information about the proposals please go to www.snh.gov.uk/MarineBirdSPAs or http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/1476400. If you are unable to make an online response, please contact us and we will send you a copy of the response form. Email: [email protected] Phone: 01463 725025 Post: Marine Bird SPAs Consultation, Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness, IV3 8NW

1 Goosander; 2 Common scoter