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Many of the coastal designations relate to water quality, with European Directives covering shellfish, shellfish waters, bathing beaches, and sewage disposal. Maybe these will be integrated by the Water Framework Directive. Whatever happens, it is the Environment Agency that will be responsible for leading in this sector. Their responsibilities tend to overlap with those of the Conservation agencies (English Nature etc) with regard to site protection and with the sea fisheries committees with regard to fish stocks. These overlaps cause confusion and do not aid understanding by the public.
In the Solent there are signs of a decline in shellfish stocks, though this could be due to cyclical factors or the absence of warm water from the cooling system discharges of the Marchwood and Calshot power stations. The largest threat, however, is to salmon populations, though it is far from clear that the cause is local to the Solent. Nevertheless the Environment Agency is extremely sensitive to any development proposals.
Major concerns exist regarding run off from agriculture, storm drains (including from motorways and other roads), and from boatyards. In particular, there must be continued concern relating to pollution from scrubbing off of vessels and perhaps from the input of zinc from anodes used to prevent corrosion on vessels. There are signs in some rivers that the levels of copper and zinc are approaching worrying levels.
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