Western Yar Estuary

Western Yar estuary flows into the Solent at Yarmouth on the north-western coast of the Isle of Wight and is a great place for wildlife. Its tidal waters, saltmarsh and mudflats are home to a wide range of plants and animals that are specially adapted to living in the challenging conditions. Together with other estuaries in the Solent it forms part of a network of protected sites that have special importance for marine and coastal wildlife.

The landscape around the estuary valley has been shaped by our uses for hundreds of years and is part of the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which has similar status to a National Park. Minimal development and careful management by private landowners has helped to maintain the integrity and diversity of the Western Yar’s habitats.

For more information about the Western Yar estuary visit Yarmouth Harbour Commissioners website.

The Western Yar Estuary Management Plan (WYEMP) was originally developed through extensive local consultation and engagement in 1998 and then reviewed and revised by the local stakeholder group in 2004. It was a voluntary initiative with no legal or statutory power but was very successful in setting out a number of actions and objectives that were agreed between stakeholders in the local community and the statutory authorities. The Isle of Wight Estuaries Partnership agreed that the overarching principles set out in the Plan should not be lost as they were developed by the community and present a clear understanding of the important elements of the Western Yar estuary.

The main guiding principles of the existing plan have been set out and presented with appendices containing information about responsibilities and legislation within the coastal zone.  You can download Guiding Principles of the Western Yar Estuary and Appendices (PDF, 1MB, 13 pages).