Natural England: Potential Risk of Sewage Discharge in HPMAs and MPAs

This project aims to determine whether sewage discharges may be occurring within or close to two proposed Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) in such a way that they may hinder recovery of the marine natural environment. In this context, the draft conservation objectives for the pilot HPMAs are to "achieve full natural recovery of the structure and functions, features, qualities and composition of characteristic biological communities present within HPMAs and prevent further degradation and damage to the marine ecosystem subject to natural change". This project will help to collate and update the evidence base on the pressures and impacts from sewage discharges occurring within or closely adjacent to each of the inshore candidate pilot HPMA sites. Natural England will utilise the outputs to provide recommendations to Defra based on the evidence on minimising and mitigating impacts to non-damaging levels. This information will help to provide a sound evidence base for competent authorities to consider management at a site level using evidence-based advice and to target future research to improve recovery of the environment in HPMAs and wider MPAs.