The Solent CHaMP - Summary and index

The Solent and its three eastern harbours, can be considered as a single, huge, estuarine system. Habitats include grazing marsh, vegetated shingle, sea cliffs, saltmarshes, mudflats, sand flats, rocky shores, lagoons and a variety of types of sea-bed. The site supports:

• Over 150,000 migrating birds in winter;
• 15% of the UK resource of brackish lagoons;
• 6% of the UK resource of saltmarsh;
• Some of the best examples of inter-tidal and off-shore reefs in the South East region.

The Solent CHaMP includes the following internationally designated sites and their constituent SSSIs:

• Solent Maritime cSAC;
• Solent and Isle of Wight Lagoons cSAC;
• Solent & Southampton Water SPA and Ramsar site;
• Chichester & Langstone Harbours SPA and Ramsar site;
• Portsmouth Harbour SPA and Ramsar site;
• Pagham Harbour SPA and Ramsar site (note included as one of six casework sites in the "Guidance for the Management of Coastal Vegetated Shingle".

"The major geomorphological trends identified are for continuing erosion of foreshores and dieback and erosion of S. anglica (Cordgrass) saltmarsh, which may involve saltmarsh loss of up to 75%. Upper foreshores, cliffs and defences are likely to become increasingly exposed, although erosion would contribute sediments that would assist the stability of local beaches and spits. Major shoreline changes are not anticipated because the most sensitive upper foreshores are stabilised by defences. The defences are likely to contribute to widespread “coastal squeeze” of foreshores and saltmarshes as sea level rises. Uncertainties are identified in the budget of fine sediments and the behaviour of mudflats." Taken from the Solent CHaMP Executive Summary a copy of which is included on the CD-ROM.

Comment: Coastal realignment, including the creation of saline lagoons are major issues identified by the CHaMP.