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Lyme Bay and Torbay Site of Community Importance

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) submitted the Lyme Bay and Torbay candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC) to the European Commission (EC) on the 20 August 2010. From that time it has to be treated as though it is a designated European marine site in line with the requirements of the EC Habitats Directive.

The cSAC is now classified as a site of Community importance (SCI).

This SCI is proposed for designation in relation to the protection of bedrock reef, biogenic reef and sea cave features and the related flora and fauna those features support, including sea squirts, sponges, anemones, corals, sea fans and bryozoans, some of which include erectile species. 

Natural England has identified the bedrock as being highly vulnerable to physical damage and biological disturbance caused by demersal towed fishing gears. As a result of this advice and earlier correspondence with Natural England dating back to September 2010, we have been working with Natural England, Defra, the Devon and Severn and Southern inshore fisheries and conservation authorities (IFCAs) and the South West Inshore Fishermen’s Association (SWIFA) to seek to protect those parts of the SCI that may be vulnerable to the affects of demersal towed fishing gears. It is on this basis that we are taking the following actions.

To trial and evaluate the effectiveness of a vessel position monitoring system for use by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and report by September 2011. The interim report was available on 30 September 2011 and the final report was available from 24 July 2012. The trial sought to permit controlled access to specified areas within the SCI by vessels using demersal towed fishing gears, while ensuring that such vessels avoid fishing over identified sensitive reef areas within the SCI boundaries. The trial evaluation was carried out in partnership with Natural England,  the Devon and Severn and Southern IFCAs and with the co-operation of SWIFA members.

To introduce a fishing licence condition to raise the level of protection afforded to specified areas within the SCIC. The licence condition requires vessels using bottom towed gears to be fitted with iVMS before being permitted to fish in those parts of the SCI that are outside the boundaries of the area protected by the Lyme Bay Designated Area (Fishing Restrictions) Order 2008.