Wednesday 10:20
Pintail and Black-tailed Godwits are being afforded extra protection to their habitats with the extension of the Mersey Estuary Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar site.
The site will increase by 74 hectares, resulting in a total of 5,023 hectares. The area will now incorporate the New Ferry Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Ben Bradshaw, Minister for Nature Conservation said:
"The Mersey Estuary has qualified as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention because the extended site regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds during the Winter as well as many other varieties of waterbirds throughout the year.
"The extension of this important site is a positive step forward in protecting the biodiversity of our wetland habitats and waterbirds."
The site extension has been agreed following local consultations undertaken by English Nature on behalf of Defra. All owners and occupiers, local authorities, statutory undertakers and other local interests were consulted in the process.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The 1979 European Commission Directive (79/409/EEC) on the conservation of wild birds requires Member States to notify the Commission of sites, which are of particular importance to the conservation of wild birds. The UK is also a signatory to the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (The Ramsar Convention - named after the town in Iran where the Convention was signed in 1971). The broad objectives of the Convention are to stem the progressive encroachment on, and loss of, wetlands and to promote their wise use.
2. No site on land in England is classified under the Birds Directive unless it has first been notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, substituted by Schedule 9 to the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. Such notification protects the site by law from activities likely to damage its nature conservation interest. The Special Protection Area (SPA) designation gives public recognition to the European importance of the site and protection as a European site under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended). This means that development proposals that would be detrimental to the nature conservation interest will be permitted only in very exceptional circumstances.
3. To date there are 242 classified SPAs and 144 designated Ramsar sites in the UK covering over 1,470,000 and 758,000 hectares respectively.
Public enquiries 08459 335577; Press notices are available on our website http://www.defra.gov.uk Defra's aim is sustainable development
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