Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation 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 List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Tern Sternula albifrons | LC | breeding (2000) | 81 pairs | B2, C2 |
| Little Tern Sternula albifrons | LC | breeding (2006) | 33 pairs | B2 |
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.
| IBA conservation assessment | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2007 | very poor | very high | high |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | good | |
| State (condition of the trigger species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Brent Goose Branta bernicla | 1,595 / 3,220 (birds) | 50 | poor | ||
| Little Tern Sternula albifrons | 33 / 90 (pairs) | 37 | very poor | ||
| Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | rapid decline (>30% over 3 generations) | very high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | likely in short term (<4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Pollution | happening now | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow decline (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Transportation and service corridors | likely in short term (<4 years) | few individuals/small area (<10%) | moderate decline (10–30% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | Action | Result |
| Whole area (>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 (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Dorset | Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (V) | 67 |
| 1965 | West Bexington and Cogden | Nature Reserve (V) | 1 |
| 1967 | Burton Bradstock | Nature Reserve (V) | 3 |
| 1984 | West Dorset | Heritage Coast (V) | 100 |
| 1986 | Chesil & The Fleet | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | 100 |
| 1987 | Portland Harbour Shore | Site of Special Scientific Interest (UK) (IV) | <1 |
| 2001 | Dorset and East Devon Coast | World Heritage Site (natural or mixed) (UA) | 91 |
| 2005 | Chesil and the Fleet | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 50 |
| 2011 | Chesil Beach and The Fleet | Marine Protected Area (OSPAR) (UA) | 49 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | major (>10) | |
| Marine Intertidal | major (>10) | |
| Grassland | minor (<10) | Steppes and dry calcareous grassland |
| Shrubland | minor (<10) | Scrub |
| Wetlands (inland) | minor (<10) | Water fringe vegetation |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| tourism/recreation | - |
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 24/12/2024.