Protected Areas

The Solent is rich with natural, environmental and cultural assets and much of the coast and marine area is protected through designations for its wildlife, water quality, landscapes and cultural heritage value. Designations can be either international, national or local and many overlap. The page below summarises the protected areas around the Solent.

Nature Conservation Designations

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

The government is committed to delivering a Blue Belt of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around our coasts. This Belt is made up of different types of MPAs. These are:

Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs)
Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)
Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
Sites or Areas of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs/ASSIs)
Ramsar sites

The MMO is the government’s principal regulator for most activities in English waters. It manages many marine activities affecting MPAs including:

Marine licensable activities
Fishing from six to 200 nautical miles offshore (nm)
Marine non-licensable activities from 0 to 12 nm

The Fisheries Act 2020 extended MMO byelaw making powers from January 2021, allowing it to create byelaws to protect offshore MPAs (12 nm to 200 nm) as well as inshore (0 to 12 nm).

Other government bodies also manage activities within the marine area, for example: Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) manage fishing from 0 - 6 nm and Local authorities manage some shore-based recreational activities.

Where necessary the MMO makes byelaws to control the relevant activities, it can also make emergency byelaws. The MMO is responsible for monitoring and assuring compliance with the new byelaw, as well as reviewing its effectiveness.

European Marine Sites

Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) contain marine habitats or species of European importance. Special Protection Areas (SPAs) contain populations of particular species of birds of European importance that depend on the marine environment. SPAs and SACs are together termed ‘European marine sites’. In the Solent we have the Solent Marine Site (SEMS). To the South of the Isle of Wight there is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) known as the South Wight Maritime SAC.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

SSSI's are designated by Natural England as the best examples of wildlife habitats, geological features and landforms. Sites are chosen to be representative of British habitats with each site seen as an integral part of the national set. For biological sites, designation is based on an established set of criteria which include naturalness, diversity, typicalness, size, fragility and rarity. You can search for SSSIs on the Designated Sites System.

In England and Wales, Part 5 of the UK Marine and Coastal Act 2009 formally amends the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, by clarifying the normal seaward limits of SSSIs as being Mean Low Water Mark (MLWM) or Mean Low Water Springs (MLWS), or the seaward limits of estuarine waters. It also out the circumstances in which SSSIs may extend beyond those limits into the subtidal zone.

Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC)

Many areas contain habitats or features that cannot be recreated and it is important to ensure that these sites are not lost and that they continue to be managed for their wildlife interest. To help safeguard these sites for the future, they are identified and recorded as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs). SINCs represent a legacy of good management and rely upon continued stewardship by landowners and managers.

Wetlands of International Importance (RAMSAR sites)

In the UK, the first Ramsar sites were designated in 1976. Since then, many more have been designated. Compared to many countries, the UK has a relatively large number of Ramsar sites, but they tend to be smaller in size. The initial emphasis was on selecting sites of importance to waterbirds within the UK, and consequently many Ramsar sites are also Special Protection Areas (SPAs) classified under the EU Birds Directive.

Water Quality Protected Areas

There are a number of Water Quality Regulations that apply in the Solent that seek to protect or improve its water quality. The Water Environment Regulations, 2017 state that the Environment Agency must, for each river basin district, maintain, review and keep up to date a register of the protected areas (see Solent areas in table below). These include areas designated for the protection of economically significant aquatic species (including shellfish water protected areas); bodies of water designated as recreational waters; nutrient-sensitive areas; and areas designated for the protection of habitats or species where the maintenance or improvement of the status of water is an important factor in the protection of the habitats or species.

Bathing Water - In England the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 is the statutory instrument identifying water suitable for bathing (in the sense of recreational swimming and paddling), other than swimming pools and similar places. An annual list of bathing places is produced. The water must pass water quality standards set by the Environment Agency.
Shellfish protected areas in England are designated by The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017. An appropriate authority can designate any area of coastal or transitional water within a river basin district as a shellfish water protected area in order to protect or develop economically significant shellfish production.
Nitrates - An area is designated as a nitrate vulnerable zone under the Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015 if, as an area of land that drains into polluted waters and contributes to the pollution of those waters, it is marked as such a zone on a relevant map.
Urban Waste Water Treatment - The Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994, regulates the collection and treatment of waste water from homes and from industry.

Please see our page in our Clean Solent Shores and Seas page on Governance for more information.

Solent location	Applicable Regulations
Hamble Estuary Eutrophic NVZ (TraC)	Nitrates
Chichester Harbour	Urban Waste Water Treatment
Cowes and Medina	Shellfish Waters
Eastney	Bathing Waters
Lymington and Sowley	Shellfish Waters
Chichester, Langstone and Portsmouth Harbours Eutrophic NVZ (TraC)	Nitrates
Approaches to Southampton Water	Shellfish Waters
Pennington	Shellfish Waters
Langstone Harbour	Shellfish Waters
Ryde	Bathing Waters
Yarmouth	Shellfish Waters
Newtown harbour, Mediina Estuary and Eastern Yar Eutrophic NVZ (TraC)	Nitrates
Stokes Bay	Bathing Waters
Lepe Middle Bank	Shellfish Waters
Central Solent	Shellfish Waters
East Cowes	Bathing Waters
Stanswood Bay	Shellfish Waters
Calshot	Bathing Waters
Medina Estuary	Urban Waste Water Treatment
Newtown	Shellfish Waters
Newtown Harbour	Urban Waste Water Treatment
Colwell Bay	Bathing Waters
Ryde	Shellfish Waters
Beachlands West	Bathing Waters
Eastoke	Bathing Waters
Lepe	Bathing Waters
Lee-on-Solent	Bathing Waters
Seagrove	Bathing Waters
Hillhead	Bathing Waters
Beachlands Central	Bathing Waters
Spithead and Stokes Bay	Shellfish Waters
Cowes	Bathing Waters
Totland Bay	Bathing Waters
Gurnard	Bathing Waters
Southsea East	Bathing Waters

Landscape Designations

Since the passage of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, nationally important landscapes in England and Wales have been designated as National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). These areas are protected by law to ensure conservation and enhancement of their natural beauty. Heritage coasts cover stretches of our most beautiful, undeveloped coastline, but do not enjoy the same statutory status. Together all three are often referred to as 'protected landscapes'.

In January 2022, the government announced its response to the Glover Review of National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). This found that nature has been in long-term decline in England’s protected landscapes. Defra has proposed a rebrand of AONBs, with a possible name change to ‘national landscapes’. This will sit alongside a review of their purpose, and an alignment of a single set of statutory purposes for both National Parks and AONBs. Defra also committed to bringing forward a new national landscape strategy that will provide clearer strategic direction for protected landscapes.

By January 2023, the plan is for new ambitious outcomes for the role of protected landscapes in delivering on the government’s goals for nature recovery and climate. Natural England will monitor and evaluate progress against the key indicators and outcomes and will also support individual protected landscapes to translate these targets into their management plans.

National Park

National Parks are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 in order to protect beautiful areas of our nation. They are specified by reason of their natural beauty and the opportunity they afford for open-air recreation. The New Forest coast lies within the New Forest National Park.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a precious landscape whose distinctive character and natural beauty are so outstanding that it is in the nation's interest to safeguard them. Each AONB has been designated for special attention by reason of their high qualities. These include their flora, fauna, historical and cultural associations as well as scenic views. AONB landscapes range from rugged coastline to water meadows to gentle downland and upland moors. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act, 2000 (the "CRoW" Act) added further regulation and protection, ensuring the future of AONBs as important national resources. In the Solent, half of the Isle of Wight has been characterised as an AONB as has the whole of Chichester Harbour.

Heritage Coast

A Heritage Coast is a strip of UK coastline designated for its notable natural beauty or scientific significance. It is a non-statutory, and designations can only be made with the agreement of local authorities and land owners. In the Solent, the Isle of Wight has two stretches of coast, which have been formally designated as Heritage Coast. The Hamstead Heritage Coast stretches along the north western (Solent) shore of the Isle of Wight from Bouldnor to Thorness Bay, near Cowes. Bouldnor cliff, near Yarmouth, remains the only submerged Mesolithic settlement in Britain.

UNESCO Biosphere

In 2019, the Isle of Wight became a UNESCO Biosphere. It recognises the Island as an example of where local communities have found a way to live sustainably within their local ecosystems.

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