Lead Contact Details
Name: Gwen Potter
Email: gwen.potter@nationaltrust.org.uk
Tel: 07825 862258
Status
Charity. Landowner and land manager with bylaw making powers
Geography Area Covered
The Farne Islands (to low tide mark); St Aidans dunes (to low tide mark); Beadnell dunes (to low tide mark); Dunstanburgh – Long Nanny (to low tide mark); Druridge Bay (to high tide mark); Alnmouth & Buston Links (to high tide mark)
Membership Details
The partnership governance groups this organisation is represented on
Marine Protected Areas
The National Trust operates or has management that influences, the following inshore marine protected areas between Fast Castle Head and the River Tyne:
- Berwick to St Mary’s MCZ
- Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC
- Northumberland Marine SPA
- Northumbria Coast SPA
- Farne Islands SPA
- Northumberland Marine SPA
- Aln Estuary Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ)
- Coquet to St Mary’s MCZ
Responsibilites
Management Actions
The National Trust has the following management measures in place to ensure its functions and regulatory powers are carried out in a manner that achieves the conservation objectives for the inshore marine protected areas in which it operates:
1) Develop and implement a management plan for the Farne Islands National Nature Reserve that includes appropriate management measures for NNR features that are also designated as MPA features.
2) Ensure visitor numbers within National Trust managed sites are kept to a level and intensity that does not cause damage or disturbance to habitats and species of marine protected areas.
3) Where the National Trust has a remit, develop byelaws or voluntary codes of conduct to manage activities that adversely impact features of marine protected areas.
4) Maintain boat landings within the Farne Islands NNR at a level and intensity that does not cause adverse damage or disturbance to features of marine protected areas.
5) Work with charter boat operators to promote the significance and sensitivities of the local marine environment and develop/support/promote codes of conduct if necessary.
6) Promote the good practice amongst divers who interact with the grey seal, underwater reefs and seabirds.
7) Raise awareness of the impacts of litter among visitors to National Trust coastal sites.
8) Promote and support beach cleans on National Trust coastal sites.
9) Monitor low flying aircraft and bird disturbance incidents. Share data with partners, develop/promote good practice in partnership with flying clubs and individual pilots, and support the creation of Bird Sanctuaries on Civil Aviation charts.
10) Ensure land management practices undertaken by the National Trust do not cause damage or disturbance to habitats and species of marine protected areas.
11) Make use of existing data collection opportunities to gather data that supports the management of marine protected areas.
12) Report all non-native species sightings to the relevant bodies and record centres, and apply response measures where
13) Promote the Check, Clean, Dry campaign amongst boat owners/users
14) Ensure methods of control for established non-native species do not cause damage or disturbance to habitats and species of marine protected areas.
15) Monitor use of the Farne Islands NNR for water-based recreation and keep activity at a level that does not cause disturbance to the, grey seal, seabirds or cetaceans.
15) Maintain and enforce existing National Trust restrictions for water-based recreation within the Farne Islands NNR
16) Promote existing codes of conduct to recreational user groups and clubs; develop further codes if necessary
17) Raise public awareness about the behaviour of pups hauling out along the coast to ensure pups are left alone and not mistaken as ‘stranded’.
18) Work with other partners who manage adjacent sites, particularly where species move between sites.
19) Share data and evidence relevant to the management of local marine protected areas with partners.
20) Run shore events and educational opportunities to raise awareness of the local marine environment and responsible ways to interact with it.
Data, Information and Mapping
The National Trust holds the following data that could be of interest to other partners who are responsible for managing marine areas:
Annual Reports from the Long Nanny Tern colony – Annual end of season reports on the success of the tern colony at Long Nanny. Includes details of numbers and breeding success of little tern and arctic tern. Contact the Northumberland Coast team for access
Annual wildlife reports for the Farne Islands – Information on birds and grey seals summarised each year in the ‘Northumbrian Naturalist’ publication of the Natural History Society of Northumbria
Breeding Birds on the Farne Islands summary – https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/farne-islands/features/breeding-birds-on-the-farne-islands-2018
Future Coast Maps (available National Trust Head Office)