The Eastern Channel extends from Dover in the east to Dartmouth in the west. Water depths are generally less than 50 m but reach 100 m towards the west. The coastline is shelving sand, shingle and pebble beaches with significant stretches of cliff landscape. The main offshore habitats are large expanses of sands and gravels. Tidal currents are strong and the water is well mixed and relatively turbid. Sea-surface temperature varies from 5 °C in winter to 19 °C in summer.

Climate change

Sea level is rising, increasing the risk of coastal erosion, flooding and loss of intertidal habitats due to ‘coastal squeeze’. This is a particular concern in this region, where the land is sinking and parts of the coast are low-lying and composed of soft sediment. Sea temperature continues to rise and is thought to have resulted in the extension of the range of southern rocky shore species east of the Isle of Wight.

Maritime economy

Maritime transport provides the most important economic contribution, with ports in Dover, Portsmouth and Southampton moving container ships, cargo ships and ferries to continental Europe and serving cruise ships. Ministry of Defence activities also provide significant value because of the Portsmouth Naval Base and associated ship building activities.

Recreational activities are important. The Sussex, Hampshire and Dorset coasts support tourism, a leisure boating industry, recreational fishing and scuba diving. There is a high proportion (16%) of coastal defence and flood protection schemes although the region is less vulnerable to coastal erosion and flooding compared to other parts of south-eastern England because of the cliff coastlines. Marine aggregate resources are increasing in economic importance as they are close to areas of high population growth and development.

Fishing pressure

Assessed commercial fish stocks are either not at full reproductive capacity or are not being harvested sustainably. Demersal fish communities have not changed despite a reported decrease in fishing effort although there is some evidence that the average size of fish is increasing. However, confidence in the fish assessment is low due to limited data. Salmon and eel populations in estuaries are declining. Fishing using mobile gear is having an impact on some seabed sediment and rocky habitats. This has resulted in loss of large slow-growing seabed organisms, for example those associated with shallow sediment habitats. Fisheries by-catch may also be affecting marine mammals.

Other issues affecting status

Numbers of sandwich tern and little tern declined by more than 25% between 1986 and 2007. These seabirds are of conservation importance and the decline is attributed to disturbance of the seabirds by predators and storm events.

There is evidence in this region of non-native organisms colonising appropriate habitats, for example cord grass in saltmarsh and mudflats, slipper limpets and pacific oyster on rocky shores.

Although there is a general concern about the presence and impact of marine litter this is the one region where there has been a decline in the amount of litter on beaches.

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