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Special Areas of Conservation

Hatton Bank

Candidate site submitted to the EU (Candidate)
Country UK Offshore waters
Unitary Authority Extra-Regio
Centroid* GV488800
Latitude 59.2578
Longitude -16.9687
SAC EU Code UK0030388
Status Candidate site submitted to the EU (Candidate)
Area (ha) 1569433
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
Location of Hatton Bank Candidate

General site character

  • Marine areas, Sea inlets (100%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

Note When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 1170 Reefs

    Hatton Bank is a large volcanic bank, situated in the Atlantic North-West Approaches, towards the western extent of the UK Continental Shelf. The vast size and topographic complexity of the Hatton Bank supports a wide diversity of biological communities, each associated with different geomorphological structures and substratum types. The bank supports extensive areas of bedrock reef (particularly on the ridges along the top of the bank) and stony reef. Also present are elaborate cold water coral reefs, frequently associated with topographically distinct features, including pinnacles and mounds tens of metres in height and hundreds of metres in width.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

  • Not Applicable

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.