The Humber Estuary is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA). The SAC and SPA together form the Humber Estuary European Marine Site (EMS). It's also classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Some of the key legislation for the Humber Estuary are implemented under the UK Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulation 2017.
These lists will provide you with an overview of the habitats and species which are protected as part of the Humber Estuary EMS designations. You will also find information on:
The main threats to the designated features of the Humber Estuary EMS
The management of these threats
Important species that call the Humber their home
The Humber is one of the 10 most important estuaries in Europe for birds. It supports internationally important populations of seven species that are listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive.
These are:
Marsh Harrier
Avocet
Little Tern
Bittern
Hen Harrier
Golden Plover
Bar-tailed Godwit
These species are in danger of extinction, rare or vulnerable, and their habitat is subject to special conservation measures to ensure their survival and reproduction. These seven species occur on the Humber at levels over 1% of the national population and so meet the Special Protection Area (SPA) qualifying criteria. The Humber Estuary provides around 140,000 waterfowl with safe feeding and roosting grounds over the winter and during spring and autumn migrations. In summer it supports several important breeding populations of scarce or declining species such as bittern, marsh harrier and avocet.
For more information on these species, including threats and management, please download the breeding bird fact sheet.
The Humber Estuary plays an international role in bird migration and is one of the most important wetland sites in the UK. It provides a safe feeding and roosting area for species moving from breeding sites in the arctic and sub-arctic to wintering grounds in southern Europe and Africa, as well as for species which use the Humber as an overwintering site. Waders and waterfowl utilise the extensive and highly productive intertidal mudflats of the estuary as a source of food and a roost site.
In ecological terms, the value of the Humber is for the massive number of wildfowl and waders which regularly use the mudflats and saltmarsh during passage and for overwintering. Numbers can reach an annual peak of up to 140,000.
For more information on wintering and passage birds, including threats and management, please download the wintering and passage bird fact sheet.
Lamprey are a member of the jawless fishes Petromyzonidae. Lamprey are vertebrates with a distinct mouth with no lower jaw, instead it is surrounded by a round sucker-like disc within which the adults have strong, rasping teeth. Sea lamprey are the largest and least common of the three lamprey species found in the UK; reaching a length of 120cm and weight of 2.5kg.
The river and sea lamprey are anadromous species which spawns in freshwater but complete part of their lifestyle in estuaries or at sea. Estuaries are considered important migratory routes with near-shore coastal margins being important migratory and feeding grounds.
For more information on river and sea lamprey, including threats and management, please download the river and sea lamprey fact sheet.
Grey seals are the larger more abundant of the two species found in British Waters. In general they have a coastal distribution although they are known to travel considerable distances whilst feeding. The main haul out site used by grey seals on the Lincolnshire coast is Donna Nook. The Donna Nook population is thought to have originally been an overspill from the Farne Island breeding colonies and small breeding groups began to establish at Donna Nook in the late 1960s.
Donna Nook supports one of the largest grey seal breeding colonies in England with hundreds of new pups born every year. The 2023 season saw 2207 grey seal pups born at Donna Nook. Grey seals are amongst the rarest seals in the world and the UK population is globally significant.
For more information on grey seals, including threats and management, please download the grey seal fact sheet.
Intertidal mudflats and sandflats are submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide, when nearly 50% of the Humber's bed is exposed. They are created by thousands of tonnes of rich sediments washing in and out of the estuary with every tide. The Humber's intertidal areas provide a complex and highly productive ecosystem that supports a wide range of habitats and species. These include invertebrates such as marine worms and molluscs which provide a vital source of food for fish and birds.
Large scale reclamation took place in the Doncaster-Goole area in the 17th century and at Sunk Island from the mid 18th to the beginning of the 20th century. Further land reclamation has taken place since, but now compensation must be provided for any unavoidable losses resulting from flood defence or port development. The estuary has been slowly eroding (decrease in land bordering the river) in the outer and middle sections, whilst accretion (increase in land bordering the river) occurs in the inner estuary.
For more information on mud and sandflats, including threats and management, please download the mud and sandflat fact sheet.
Coastal lagoons are areas of shallow coastal saltwater of varying salinity, separated from the sea by sandbanks, shingle or, less frequently, rock. They are a rare and threatened habitat supporting a rich variety of unique wildlife such as the starlet sea anemone and tentacled lagoon worm. The invertebrate fauna of the Humber's lagoons includes three nationally scarce species and Humberston Fitties near Cleethorpes is described as the third most important saline lagoon in Britain.
For more information on saline lagoons, including threats and management, please download the saline lagoon fact sheet.
Saltmarsh develops when salt-tolerant vegetation colonises intertidal sediments on the middle and upper reaches of intertidal areas where tidal inundation occurs less frequently. Saltmarsh starts with pioneer saltmarsh on the lower shore. Behind the pioneer saltmarsh more stable conditions lead to development of Atlantic salt meadows. The Humber Estuary supports saltmarsh on both its northern and southern banks, (approximately 627ha) although in some places the upper marsh communities have been lost due to "coastal squeeze".
The saltmarshes of the Humber are predominantly ungrazed and provide a habitat for nationally rare wildlife. Coastal squeeze is caused by sea defences that hinder the natural migration of the salt marsh inland, as sea level rises. This is the biggest threat to the remaining saltmarsh on the Humber. Losses from coastal squeeze can be mitigated against, by what is called "managed realignment". This sets back the sea defences to provide land which becomes intertidal where the further natural development of saltmarsh can take place.
Samphire is a pioneer saltmarsh plant that grows on the lower reaches of the saltmarshes where the vegetation is frequently flooded. It also grows on open creek sides and depressions or disturbed areas of upper saltmarsh. Samphire provides an important food source for many species of waterfowl and is also collected locally for the table.
For more information on Humber saltmarsh, including threats and management, please download the saltmarsh fact sheet.
Subtidal sandbanks are permanently covered by seawater, typically at depths less than 20m. The subtidal environment of the Humber Estuary is highly dynamic and varies according to the composition of the bottom sediments, salinity, sediment load and turbidity, dissolved oxygen and anthropogenic factors relating to water quality and dredging. The subtidal area of the Humber accounts for 55% of total estuary area.
For more information on the sub-tidal sandbanks, including threats and management, please download the sub-tidal fact sheet.
All birds are protected in the UK, but some species have additional protection in place during breeding season. Schedule 1 protects the adults, juveniles, eggs and dependent young of these species. It is illegal for anyone to disturb them whether intentional or not, and prosecution is possible if disturbance or harm has occurred.
Species include:
-Avocet
-Little Tern
-Ringed Plover
For more information on Schedule 1 Species and Legislation follow this link to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).