Havre des Pas seafront, Jersey, UK by John De Carteret

A winter view across the seafront at Havre des Pas, St. Helier, Jersey, showing the hotels, guesthouses and residential development along the road, the outdoor bathing pool, and to the left the La Collette industrial area, built on land reclaimed from the sea, the building in progress is the controversial new £10 million Energy from Waste plant. Controversial, as this area of sea is at the western boundary of an area designated a RAMSAR site, "South East Coast of Jersey, Channel Islands" (3210ha; 49°09’N 02°02’W) being amongst the largest intertidal reef sites in Europe, this site comprises various habitats: reefs, boulder fields, mud, sandy and shingle shores not covered by water at low tide, combined with shallow tidal lagoons, seagrass beds and a large number of outlying reefs. The maximum spring tide range of 12m exposes 17.5m2 of wave cut rock platforms, extensive areas of reef, and a complex system of soft substrate gullies. The site provides important winter habitat for waders and wildfowl and produces a rich and diverse range of biotopes and some uncommon species assemblages. The flora and fauna is characterized by a number of limit-of-range species at both the northern and southern margins of their distributions. Fishing is of great cultural, social, and traditional importance to the population, and a wide range of non-exploitive recreational activity is very important within the site. Effects of inorganic waste disposal and sewage discharge are seen as potential threats. This is the 1042nd Ramsar site globally.