It is managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

[1] It is part of Solent and Southampton Water Ramsar site[2] and Special Protection Area.

[5] It is also part of Hurst Castle and Lymington River Estuary, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest,[6] and of North Solent Marshes Nature Conservation Review site, Grade 2.

[7] Two areas are Geological Conservation Review sites,[8][9] and two are Local Nature Reserves, Boldre Foreshore[10] and Lymington-Keyhaven Marshes.

Birds of prey include peregrine falcons, marsh harriers and merlins, while black-headed gulls and sandwich terns feed on fish in the marshes.