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The site was identified as important in 2007 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species') at the site:

Species	Red List1	Season	Year(s)	Size	IBA criteria
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2000	81 breeding pairs	B2, C2
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	LC	breeding	2006	33 breeding pairs	B2

1. The current IUCN Red List category. The category at the time of the IBA criteria assessment (2007) may differ.

Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2007. The most recent assessment (2007) is shown below.

State (condition of the trigger species' populations)
Species	Reference	Actual	Units	% remaining	Result
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	3,220	1,595	individuals	50	unfavourable
Little Tern Sternula albifrons	90	33	breeding pairs	37	very unfavourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Human intrusions and disturbance	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	low
Pollution	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected areas	Management plan	Other action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	high

Year	Protected Area	Designation	% overlap with IBA
1959	Dorset	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	67
1965	West Bexington and Cogden	Nature Reserve	1
1967	Burton Bradstock	Nature Reserve	3
1984	West Dorset	Heritage Coast	100
1985	Chesil Beach & The Fleet	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	76
1986	Chesil & The Fleet	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	100
1987	Portland Harbour Shore	Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK)	<1
1996	Chesil And The Fleet	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	91
1996	Chesil Beach and The Fleet	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	76
2001	Dorset and East Devon Coast	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	91
2005	Chesil and the Fleet	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	50
2011	Chesil Beach and The Fleet	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	49

Habitat1	Habitat detail	% of IBA
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		major (>10)
Marine Intertidal		major (>10)
Grassland	Steppes and dry calcareous grassland	minor (<10)
Shrubland	Scrub	minor (<10)
Wetlands (inland)	Water fringe vegetation	minor (<10)

1. IUCN Habitat classification.

Land use	% of IBA
tourism/recreation	-

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Chesil Beach and the Fleet (United Kingdom). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/chesil-beach-and-the-fleet-iba-united-kingdom on 23/11/2024.