Solent European Marine Sites

The Solent European Marine Sites (SEMS) is one of a number of European marine sites in the UK which are designated as internationally important sites for their habitats and species. SEMS covers the harbours, estuaries, areas of open coast and inshore water around the Solent. The site stretches from Hurst Spit in the west to Chichester Harbour in the east and includes areas along the north coast of the Isle of Wight from Yarmouth to Bembridge Harbour, as well as the mainland shores.

The SEMS project was set up in November 2000 with the aim of developing a strategy for managing the marine and coastal resources of the Solent in a more integrated and sustainable way.

These pages will help you to find out more about the marine and coastal habitats, plants and animals for which the European marine site has been proposed. The pages also outline the work done to write a management scheme for the SEMS and includes information on legislation, who's involved, and what's in the management scheme.

The Solent Forum currently provides the secretariat for the SEMS Management and Stakeholder Groups. The SEMS Management Group will have its next annual meeting in May 2011. The minutes of the last meeting can be downloaded from the Solent Forum's website.