ANNEX I habitat for Stanton Banks SCI

Stanton Banks was designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) through the Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats) Regulations 2007 and has now been accepted as a Site of Community Importance (SCI). The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) in partnership with Cefas and supported by British Geological Survey (BGS) staff conducted a field survey to investigate the presence and extent of Annex I habitat features within the Stanton Banks SCI in order to facilitate discussions on possible fisheries management options. The survey was designed to acquire sufficient data to provide a robust characterisation of the Annex I rocky reef habitats, targeting areas of particular interest to fishers, and to contribute to the development of a robust baseline for future monitoring within the proposed SAC. In addition, the survey involved the characterisation and mapping of the sedimentary habitats surrounding the reef feature within the site boundary, in order to provide information on the wider environmental context.