Chesil Beach and the Fleet (2445)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Chesil Beach and the Fleet
Central coordinates: Latitude: 50.6132, Longitude: -2.5203
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 15
Area of KBA (km2): 9.88632
Protected area coverage (%): 99.98
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Chesil Beach is one of the largest shingle structures in Britain, measuring 150-200 m in width, and running for 28 km from Burton Bradstock in the west to the Isle of Portland in the east. The beach encloses The Fleet, the largest tidal lagoon in Britain. The IBA supports large numbers of wildfowl in winter.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Delineation rationale: First identified in 1989; no significant boundary changes since then. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale. Additional area added on 1:50,000 maps - detailed mapping if converted to SPA.
Habitats
Land use: tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 5 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 43 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 43 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Nutrient loads | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Sewage | Ongoing |
| Transportation & service corridors | Shipping lanes | Only in the future | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Only in the future | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Only in the past and unlikely to return |