The Marine Life Information Network

Information on the biology of species and the ecology of habitats found around the coasts and seas of the British Isles

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Habitats listed as Features of Conservation Interest (FOCI)

Features of Conservation Interest (or Marine Conservation Zone Features) are marine features that are particularly threatened, rare, or declining species and habitats.  They were chosen to focus the process used to identify Marine Conservation Zones in England and Wales, and are listed in the Ecological Network Guidance (ENG) (NE & JNCC, 2010). Further detail: JNCC

Available MarLIN information on the FOCI Habitats (HOCI) and component biotopes is listed below, based on the JNCC rationalised list of habitats (JNCC, 2014).

Habitat listings

Blue mussel beds

Cold-water coral reef

Coral gardens

Deep-sea sponge aggregations

Estuarine rocky habitats

File shell beds

Fragile sponge and anthozoan communities on subtidal rocky habitats

Honeycomb worm (Sabellaria alveolata) reefs

Horse mussel (Modiolus modiolus) beds

Intertidal under boulder communities

Littoral chalk communities

Maerl beds

Mud habitats in deep water

Image: Burrowing megafauna and [Maxmuelleria lankesteri] in circalittoral mud missing

Burrowing megafauna and Maxmuelleria lankesteri in circalittoral mud

Image: Cerianthid anemones and burrowing megafauna in Atlantic mid bathyal mud missing

Cerianthid anemones and burrowing megafauna in Atlantic mid bathyal mud

Image: Foraminiferans and [Thyasira] sp. in deep circalittoral fine mud missing

Foraminiferans and Thyasira sp. in deep circalittoral fine mud

Image: Seapens and burrowing megafauna in circalittoral fine mud

Seapens and burrowing megafauna in circalittoral fine mud

Image: Seapens, including [Funiculina quadrangularis], and burrowing megafauna in undisturbed circalittoral fine mud

Seapens, including Funiculina quadrangularis, and burrowing megafauna in undisturbed circalittoral fine mud

Image: [Acanella arbuscula] assemblage on Atlantic lower bathyal mud missing

Acanella arbuscula assemblage on Atlantic lower bathyal mud

Image: [Acanella arbuscula] assemblage on Atlantic mid bathyal mud missing

Acanella arbuscula assemblage on Atlantic mid bathyal mud

Image: [Ampharete falcata] turf with [Parvicardium ovale] on cohesive muddy sediment near margins of deep stratified seas

Ampharete falcata turf with Parvicardium ovale on cohesive muddy sediment near margins of deep stratified seas

Image: [Amphiura filiformis] and [Ennucula tenuis] in circalittoral and offshore sandy mud missing

Amphiura filiformis and Ennucula tenuis in circalittoral and offshore sandy mud

Image: [Amphiura filiformis], [Kurtiella bidentata] and [Abra nitida] in circalittoral sandy mud

Amphiura filiformis, Kurtiella bidentata and Abra nitida in circalittoral sandy mud

Image: [Beggiatoa] spp. on anoxic sublittoral mud

Beggiatoa spp. on anoxic sublittoral mud

Image: [Brissopsis lyrifera] and [Amphiura chiajei] in circalittoral mud missing

Brissopsis lyrifera and Amphiura chiajei in circalittoral mud

Image: [Capitella capitata] and [Thyasira] spp. in organically-enriched offshore circalittoral mud and sandy mud missing

Capitella capitata and Thyasira spp. in organically-enriched offshore circalittoral mud and sandy mud

Image: [Kophobelemnon] field on Atlantic mid bathyal mud

Kophobelemnon field on Atlantic mid bathyal mud

Image: [Kophobelemnon] field on Atlantic upper bathyal mud

Kophobelemnon field on Atlantic upper bathyal mud

Image: [Lagis koreni] and [Phaxas pellucidus] in circalittoral sandy mud

Lagis koreni and Phaxas pellucidus in circalittoral sandy mud

Image: [Levinsenia gracilis] and [Heteromastus filiformis] in offshore circalittoral mud and sandy mud missing

Levinsenia gracilis and Heteromastus filiformis in offshore circalittoral mud and sandy mud

Image: [Myrtea spinifera] and polychaetes in offshore circalittoral sandy mud missing

Myrtea spinifera and polychaetes in offshore circalittoral sandy mud

Image: [Paramphinome jeffreysii], [Thyasira] spp. and [Amphiura filiformis] in offshore circalittoral sandy mud missing

Paramphinome jeffreysii, Thyasira spp. and Amphiura filiformis in offshore circalittoral sandy mud

Image: [Styela gelatinosa], [Pseudamussium peslutrae] and solitary ascidians on sheltered deep circalittoral muddy sediment missing

Styela gelatinosa, Pseudamussium peslutrae and solitary ascidians on sheltered deep circalittoral muddy sediment

Image: [Thyasira] spp. and [Ennucula tenuis] in circalittoral sandy mud missing

Thyasira spp. and Ennucula tenuis in circalittoral sandy mud

Image: [Virgularia mirabilis] and [Ophiura] spp. with [Pecten maximus] on circalittoral sandy or shelly mud

Virgularia mirabilis and Ophiura spp. with Pecten maximus on circalittoral sandy or shelly mud

Image: [Virgularia mirabilis] and [Ophiura] spp. with [Pecten maximus], hydroids and ascidians on circalittoral sandy or shelly mud with stones missing

Virgularia mirabilis and Ophiura spp. with Pecten maximus, hydroids and ascidians on circalittoral sandy or shelly mud with stones

Native oyster (Ostrea edulis) beds

Peat and clay exposures

Ross worm (Sabellaria spinulosa) reefs

Sea-pen and burrowing megafauna communities

Seagrass beds

Sheltered muddy gravels

Subtidal chalk

Subtidal sands and gravels

Image: Cumaceans and [Chaetozone setosa] in infralittoral gravelly sand missing

Cumaceans and Chaetozone setosa in infralittoral gravelly sand

Image: Dense [Lanice conchilega] and other polychaetes in tide-swept infralittoral sand and mixed gravelly sand

Dense Lanice conchilega and other polychaetes in tide-swept infralittoral sand and mixed gravelly sand

Image: Infralittoral mobile clean sand with sparse fauna missing

Infralittoral mobile clean sand with sparse fauna

Image: Infralittoral mobile sand in variable salinity (estuaries) missing

Infralittoral mobile sand in variable salinity (estuaries)

Image: Semi-permanent tube-building amphipods and polychaetes in sublittoral sand missing

Semi-permanent tube-building amphipods and polychaetes in sublittoral sand

Image: Sparse fauna on highly mobile sublittoral shingle (cobbles and pebbles) missing

Sparse fauna on highly mobile sublittoral shingle (cobbles and pebbles)

Image: Sublittoral coarse sediments in variable salinity (estuaries) missing

Sublittoral coarse sediments in variable salinity (estuaries)

Image: Sublittoral sand in variable salinity (estuaries) missing

Sublittoral sand in variable salinity (estuaries)

Image: [Abra alba] and [Nucula nitidosa] in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment missing

Abra alba and Nucula nitidosa in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment

Image: [Abra prismatica], [Bathyporeia elegans] and polychaetes in circalittoral fine sand missing

Abra prismatica, Bathyporeia elegans and polychaetes in circalittoral fine sand

Image: [Acrocnida brachiata] with [Astropecten irregularis] and other echinoderms in circalittoral muddy sand missing

Acrocnida brachiata with Astropecten irregularis and other echinoderms in circalittoral muddy sand

Image: [Arenicola marina] in infralittoral fine sand or muddy sand missing

Arenicola marina in infralittoral fine sand or muddy sand

Image: [Branchiostoma lanceolatum] in circalittoral coarse sand with shell gravel

Branchiostoma lanceolatum in circalittoral coarse sand with shell gravel

Image: [Echinocardium cordatum] and [Ensis] spp. in lower shore and shallow sublittoral slightly muddy fine sand

Echinocardium cordatum and Ensis spp. in lower shore and shallow sublittoral slightly muddy fine sand

Image: [Echinocyamus pusillus], [Ophelia borealis] and [Abra prismatica] in circalittoral fine sand missing

Echinocyamus pusillus, Ophelia borealis and Abra prismatica in circalittoral fine sand

Image: [Fabulina fabula] and [Magelona mirabilis] with venerid bivalves and amphipods in infralittoral compacted fine muddy sand missing

Fabulina fabula and Magelona mirabilis with venerid bivalves and amphipods in infralittoral compacted fine muddy sand

Image: [Glycera lapidum] in impoverished infralittoral mobile gravel and sand missing

Glycera lapidum in impoverished infralittoral mobile gravel and sand

Image: [Glycera lapidum], [Thyasira] spp. and [Amythasides macroglossus] in offshore gravelly sand missing

Glycera lapidum, Thyasira spp. and Amythasides macroglossus in offshore gravelly sand

Image: [Halcampa chrysanthellum] and [Edwardsia timida] on sublittoral clean stone gravel

Halcampa chrysanthellum and Edwardsia timida on sublittoral clean stone gravel

Image: [Hesionura elongata] and [Microphthalmus similis] with other interstitial polychaetes in infralittoral mobile coarse sand missing

Hesionura elongata and Microphthalmus similis with other interstitial polychaetes in infralittoral mobile coarse sand

Image: [Hesionura elongata] and [Protodorvillea kefersteini] in offshore coarse sand missing

Hesionura elongata and Protodorvillea kefersteini in offshore coarse sand

Image: [Maldanid polychaetes] and [Eudorellopsis deformis] in offshore circalittoral sand or muddy sand missing

Maldanid polychaetes and Eudorellopsis deformis in offshore circalittoral sand or muddy sand

Image: [Mediomastus fragilis], [Lumbrineris] spp. and venerid bivalves in circalittoral coarse sand or gravel

Mediomastus fragilis, Lumbrineris spp. and venerid bivalves in circalittoral coarse sand or gravel

Image: [Moerella] spp. with venerid bivalves in infralittoral gravelly sand missing

Moerella spp. with venerid bivalves in infralittoral gravelly sand

Image: [Neomysis integer] and [Gammarus] spp. in variable salinity infralittoral mobile sand missing

Neomysis integer and Gammarus spp. in variable salinity infralittoral mobile sand

Image: [Neopentadactyla mixta] in circalittoral shell gravel or coarse sand

Neopentadactyla mixta in circalittoral shell gravel or coarse sand

Image: [Nephtys cirrosa] and amphipods in variable salinity infralittoral mobile sand missing

Nephtys cirrosa and amphipods in variable salinity infralittoral mobile sand

Image: [Nephtys cirrosa] and [Bathyporeia] spp. in infralittoral sand

Nephtys cirrosa and Bathyporeia spp. in infralittoral sand

Image: [Owenia fusiformis] and [Amphiura filiformis] in offshore circalittoral sand or muddy sand missing

Owenia fusiformis and Amphiura filiformis in offshore circalittoral sand or muddy sand

Image: [Protodorvillea kefersteini] and other polychaetes in impoverished circalittoral mixed gravelly sand missing

Protodorvillea kefersteini and other polychaetes in impoverished circalittoral mixed gravelly sand

Image: [Sertularia cupressina] and [Hydrallmania falcata] on tide-swept sublittoral sand with cobbles or pebbles. missing

Sertularia cupressina and Hydrallmania falcata on tide-swept sublittoral sand with cobbles or pebbles.

Image: [Spirobranchus triqueter] with barnacles and bryozoan crusts on unstable circalittoral cobbles and pebbles

Spirobranchus triqueter with barnacles and bryozoan crusts on unstable circalittoral cobbles and pebbles

Image: [Spisula subtruncata] and [Nephtys hombergii] in shallow muddy sand missing

Spisula subtruncata and Nephtys hombergii in shallow muddy sand

Tide-swept channels

Image: Circalittoral faunal communities in variable salinity

Circalittoral faunal communities in variable salinity

Image: Cushion sponges and hydroids on turbid tide-swept sheltered circalittoral rock

Cushion sponges and hydroids on turbid tide-swept sheltered circalittoral rock

Image: Cushion sponges and hydroids on turbid tide-swept variable salinity sheltered circalittoral rock missing

Cushion sponges and hydroids on turbid tide-swept variable salinity sheltered circalittoral rock

Image: Cushion sponges, hydroids and ascidians on turbid tide-swept sheltered circalittoral rock missing

Cushion sponges, hydroids and ascidians on turbid tide-swept sheltered circalittoral rock

Image: Filamentous red seaweeds, sponges and [Balanus crenatus] on tide-swept variable-salinity infralittoral rock missing

Filamentous red seaweeds, sponges and Balanus crenatus on tide-swept variable-salinity infralittoral rock

Image: Mixed kelp and red seaweeds on infralittoral boulders, cobbles and gravel in tidal rapids missing

Mixed kelp and red seaweeds on infralittoral boulders, cobbles and gravel in tidal rapids

Image: Mixed kelp with foliose red seaweeds, sponges and ascidians on sheltered tide-swept infralittoral rock missing

Mixed kelp with foliose red seaweeds, sponges and ascidians on sheltered tide-swept infralittoral rock

Image: Red seaweeds and kelps on tide-swept mobile infralittoral cobbles and pebbles

Red seaweeds and kelps on tide-swept mobile infralittoral cobbles and pebbles

Image: [Alcyonium digitatum] with dense [Tubularia indivisa] and anemones on strongly tide-swept circalittoral rock

Alcyonium digitatum with dense Tubularia indivisa and anemones on strongly tide-swept circalittoral rock

Image: [Ascophyllum nodosum], sponges and ascidians on tide-swept mid eulittoral rock

Ascophyllum nodosum, sponges and ascidians on tide-swept mid eulittoral rock

Image: [Balanus crenatus] and [Tubularia indivisa] on extremely tide-swept circalittoral rock

Balanus crenatus and Tubularia indivisa on extremely tide-swept circalittoral rock

Image: [Fucus serratus] with sponges, ascidians and red seaweeds on tide-swept lower eulittoral mixed substrata missing

Fucus serratus with sponges, ascidians and red seaweeds on tide-swept lower eulittoral mixed substrata

Image: [Fucus serratus], sponges and ascidians on tide-swept lower eulittoral rock

Fucus serratus, sponges and ascidians on tide-swept lower eulittoral rock

Image: [Laminaria digitata], ascidians and bryozoans on tide-swept sublittoral fringe rock

Laminaria digitata, ascidians and bryozoans on tide-swept sublittoral fringe rock

Image: [Laminaria hyperborea] forest, foliose red seaweeds and a diverse fauna on tide-swept upper infralittoral rock

Laminaria hyperborea forest, foliose red seaweeds and a diverse fauna on tide-swept upper infralittoral rock

Image: [Laminaria hyperborea] on tide-swept, infralittoral mixed substrata. missing

Laminaria hyperborea on tide-swept, infralittoral mixed substrata.

Image: [Laminaria hyperborea] on tide-swept, infralittoral rock

Laminaria hyperborea on tide-swept, infralittoral rock

Image: [Laminaria hyperborea] park with hydroids, bryozoans and sponges on tide-swept lower infralittoral rock

Laminaria hyperborea park with hydroids, bryozoans and sponges on tide-swept lower infralittoral rock

Image: [Saccharina latissima] with foliose red seaweeds and ascidians on sheltered tide-swept infralittoral rock missing

Saccharina latissima with foliose red seaweeds and ascidians on sheltered tide-swept infralittoral rock

Image: [Tubularia indivisa] and cushion sponges on tide-swept turbid circalittoral bedrock missing

Tubularia indivisa and cushion sponges on tide-swept turbid circalittoral bedrock

Image: [Tubularia indivisa] on tide-swept circalittoral rock

Tubularia indivisa on tide-swept circalittoral rock