Description of the Interest Features and their Current Condition
The site is a Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) designated under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 in December 2013
The site is notified for the following features:
- Coastal saltmarshes and saline reedbeds
- Estuarine rocky habitats
- Intertidal mud
- Sheltered muddy gravels
Further details of these interest features can be found HERE
A map showing the location of priority habitats within the MPA can be viewed at the MAGIC website
The Aln estuary supports intertidal mud deposits, saltmarshes and unusual estuarine rocky habitats. Together they create nursery areas for a range of fish species such as sprat or flounder. The estuary supports a range of species including migrating and wintering water birds.
The condition of the MCZ has yet to be assessed. Details of Natural England’s monitoring of the site can be found HERE
Information is also available about the condition of underlying SSSI units
Map of Interest Features
The boundary map for this site can be downloaded from HERE
Boundary maps of all English marine protected areas can be downloaded from Natural England at this link
Sensitivities of Interest Features
The summary given below is provided for informal guidance only. Please note that the published conservation advice and accompanying supplementary advice on the conservation objectives produced by Natural England for the site should be referred as the definitive and official source of information about site pressures and sensitivities when making decisions about management activities.
This site is potentially sensitive to any activities which might:
- Negatively affects the presence, extent, spatial distribution, diversity, morphology, physical structure and/or species richness of mudflats, saltmarsh, muddy gravels and estuarine rocky habitats
- Negatively affects the ability of habitats to respond to seasonal change and coastal processes
Negatively affects water quality (including nutrient status, contaminants and dissolved oxygen)
Overlap with other sites
This site partially overlaps with the following MPAs:
The following SSSIs overlap partially with this MPA