Benfleet and Southend Marshes SPA Alerts
This SPA lies at the eastern end of the study area, east of Canvey Island. Alerts have been triggered for all six species evaluated. This gives some cause for concern, particularly as some of the species for which alerts have triggered have not declined in either Great Britain or England as a whole.
Maclean (et al., 2005) identified that threats to the SPA include erosion, reclamation, dredging, shell-fisheries, intensive recreational activities and development proposals.
| Species | SelectionStage | First Winter | Last Winter | Short-term % change | Medium-term % change | Long-term % change | % change since notification | Short-term alert-status | Medium-term alert-status | Long-term alert-status | alert-status since notification (1993) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark-bellied brent goose (DB) | 1.2 | 77/78 | 02/03 | -11 | 127 | -28 | 90 | o | ++ | - | + |
| Oystercatcher (OC) | 1.3 | 77/78 | 02/03 | -34 | -36 | 47 | -36 | - | - | + | - |
| Ringed plover (RP) | 1.3 | 77/78 | 02/03 | -17 | -23 | -56 | -21 | o | o | -- | o |
| Grey plover (GV) | 1.2 | 77/78 | 02/03 | 0 | -30 | 614 | -33 | o | - | ++ | - |
| Knot (KN) | 1.2 | 77/78 | 02/03 | -21 | -24 | 175 | -40 | o | o | ++ | - |
| Dunlin (DN) | 1.3 | 77/78 | 02/03 | -45 | -30 | -24 | -40 | (-) | - | o | - |
