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Special Areas of Conservation

East Rockall Bank

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country UK Offshore waters
Unitary Authority Extra-Regio
Centroid* MC493151
Latitude 57.6544
Longitude -12.91
SAC EU Code UK0030389
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 369489
* 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 East Rockall Bank SAC

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

    East Rockall Bank houses bedrock, stony and cold water coral biogenic reef in the deep circalittoral to bathyal zone. Bedrock and stony reef supports assemblages of stylasterid lace corals and lobose sponges. Parasitic cones in the north of the site support sediment in-filled dead L. pertusa framework and live cold water coral reef, with antipatharians and gorgonians. Two canyon features cut into the flanks of the site and these are characterised by xenophyophores and decapod shrimps, with one canyon also supporting an abundance of caryophyllid corals and sea pens.

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.