Who is Involved?

Management of the site is the responsibility of all those statutory bodies with relevant functions and no one single body has overall responsibility or control. In addition the support of wider stakeholders in the decision on the use of sites is needed if management is to be sustained in the long term.

Management Group

Relevant authorities are those competent authorities which have powers or functions which have, or could have, an impact on the marine area within or adjacent to a European marine site. Whilst carrying out their duties relevant authorities are required to have due regard to the requirements of the Habitats Directive and as such may review their management of the activities under their control that pose the greatest potential threat to the favourable condition of interest features in the Solent EMS. The relevant authorities for the Solent EMS formed a Management Group in order to oversee the production of the management scheme. The Solent Forum provides the secretariat for the Management Group. Membership of the group includes:

Harbour Authorities

Associated British Ports
Beaulieu River Management
Bembridge Harbour
Chichester Harbour Conservancy
Cowes Harbour Commissioners
River Hamble (HCC)
Langstone Harbour Board
Lymington Harbour Commissioners
Portsmouth Commercial Port
Queen’s Harbour Master, Portsmouth
Ryde Harbour
Yarmouth Harbour Commissioners
Newport Harbour Authority

Local Authorities

Chichester District Council
Eastleigh Borough Council
Fareham Borough Council
Gosport Borough Council
Hampshire County Council
Havant Borough Council
Isle of Wight Council
New Forest District Council
Portsmouth City Council
Southampton City Council
Test Valley Borough Council
West Sussex County Council
Winchester City Council

Other Statutory Authorities

Environment Agency
Natural England
Seafisheries Committee
Southern Water
Trinity House

Strategic Advisory Group

The Strategic Advisory Group is a body of representatives from local interests, user groups and conservation groups, formed to advise the management group. The Solent Forum provides the secretariat for the group. Membership of the group is as follows:

National Federation of Sea Anglers
Royal Yachting Society (RYA) Southern Committee Solent Area
Bait diggers Association
Solent Cruising and Racing Association
Solent Wildfowlers Forum
Isle of Wight Estuaries Officer
Langstone Harbour Advisory Committee
Lymington Harbour Panel
Wootton Creek Fairways Association
Solent Forum
SCOPAC Officers Group Industry
Conservation British International Freight Association (BIFA)
British Marine Aggregate Producers Association (BMAPA)
British Marine Industries Federation (BMIF)
BP Oil UK Ltd
Esso Petroleum Co. Ltd
Isle of Wight Oystermans Association
Portsmouth Commercial Port
Southern Marine Industries Association (SMIA)
Southampton Shipowners Association
West Solent Oystermens Action Group
Hampshire & IOW Wildlife Trust Hants & Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology
Marine Conservation Society
National Trust
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
Solent Protection Society
Southampton Institute
Southampton Oceanography Centre
University of Portsmouth
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
English Nature
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
MOD (Low Flying Section) Marchwood & Hythe MOD Sites
Sport England South East Region
The Crown Estate

Cluster Groups

Due to the diverse nature and geographical spread of the SEMS a number of cluster groups have been formed to drive and steer the work and to concentrate on local issues. Five groups were set up which include the appropriate relevant authorities. These are as follows:

Chichester and Langstone Harbours
Portsmouth Harbour
Solent and Southampton Water
North West Solent
Isle of Wight Coast

Ad Hoc Groups

Other groups such as Topic Groups may be formed during the management scheme implementation process which will be focused on specific issues or activities, and their formation will be agreed by members of the Management/cluster group as and when appropriate.