Environmental Designations map

The Plymouth Sound & Tamar Estuaries Marine Protected Area comprises several marine protection designations, as well as overlapping coastal and terrestrial designations across the site.

Plymouth Sound & Estuaries Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

Legislation: EC Habitats Directive 1992 (European), The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (UK).

Qualifying features: Allis shad (Alosa alosa); Atlantic salt meadows (Glauco-Puccinellietalia maritimae); Estuaries; Large shallow inlets and bays; Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide; Reefs; Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time; Shore dock (Rumex rupestris).

Designated: 1 April 2005    Area: 6,402 hectares.

Tamar Estuaries Complex Special Protection Area (SPA)

Legislation: EC Birds Directive 1979 (European), The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (UK).

Qualifying features: Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), non-breeding; Little egret (Egretta garzetta), non-breeding.

Designated: 26 June 1997   Area: 1,955 hectares.

Plymouth Sound & Estuaries Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ)

Legislation: Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (UK).

Designated features: Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) beds; Intertidal biogenic reefs; Intertidal course sediment; Native Oyster (Ostrea edulis); Smelt (Osmerus eperlanus).

Designated: 21 November 2013 Area: 1,530 hectares.

Component SSSIs

Lynher Estuary SSSI

Plymouth Sound Shores and Cliffs SSSI

Rame Head & Whitsand Bay SSSI

St. John’s Lake SSSI

Tamar – Tavy Estuary SSSI

Wembury Point SSSI

Yealm Estuary SSSI

Overlapping Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

South Devon AONB

Tamar Valley AONB