This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from UK statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from UK statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other UK-specific metadata information.
| Indicator available | Total extent of protected areas at sea |
|---|---|
| Indicator description | The extent measures are a calculation of the net (non-overlapping) extent of protected areas using mean high water as the boundary between the at-sea and on-land measures. |
| Geographical coverage | United Kingdom |
| Unit of measurement | Million hectares |
| Definitions | Data is based on calendar year of site designation. For 2017, the data cut-off is 31 March. The boundary between protected areas on-land and at-sea is mean high water (mean high water spring in Scotland). Coastal sites in the indicator are split between ‘on-land’ and ‘at-sea’ if they cross the mean high water mark. At-sea extent includes offshore marine protected areas out to the limit of the UK continental shelf. Extent is based on the following site designations: Areas of Special Scientific Interest, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserves, Marine Conservation Zones, Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas, Ramsar Sites, Special Areas of Conservation (including candidate Special Areas of Conservation and Sites of Community Importance), Special Protection Areas, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Scenic Areas, National Parks. Many protected areas in the UK cover the same physical parcels of land, but for different reasons; as a result the designation types can overlap. For example, it is possible for an individual site to be designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA), Ramsar site and National Nature Reserve (NNR), and could also be part of a National Park, an AONB (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) or National Scenic Area (NSA). |
| Calculations | Total extent of protected areas at-sea is calculated using a program written by JNCC which uses a number of site designation files as input, and calculates a set of non-overlapping polygons for that entire set of designations for each year. This has allowed the basis of the indicator to be expanded over time (including more site types), and allows comparisons to be made between inclusion and exclusion of wider landscape designations. The program also splits the areas calculated into terrestrial, inshore (within 12 nautical miles of the coast), and offshore (beyond 12NM out to the edge of the UK Continental shelf). Inshore and offshore extent are combined in the measure ‘Total extent of protected areas at-sea’. |
| Other information | This indicator is a compoonent of UK Biodiversity Indicator C1, Protected Areas (http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-4241) which comprises two addittional measures: Total extent of protected areas: on-land; Condition of Areas / Sites of Special Scientific Interest.Further information is available @ http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/docs/UKBI2017_TechBG_C1_Final.doc |
| Data last updated | 2018-04-04: see changes on GitHub opens in a new window |
| Metadata last updated | 2018-05-31: see changes on GitHub opens in a new window |