Editing English Channel (section)

=== Ecology ===
As a busy shipping lane, the Channel experiences environmental problems following accidents involving ships with toxic cargo and oil spills.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 February 2006 |title=Tanker wreck starts leaking oil |publisher=BBC |location=London |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guernsey/4668664.stm |url-status=live |access-date=1 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103192242/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guernsey/4668664.stm |archive-date=3 January 2007}}</ref> Indeed, over 40% of the UK incidents threatening pollution occur in or very near the Channel.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2006 |title=Annual Survey of Reported Discharges |url=http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/pacops_final_report_2006.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112181910/http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/pacops_final_report_2006.pdf |archive-date=12 November 2009 |access-date=1 November 2008 |publisher=[[Maritime and Coastguard Agency]]}}</ref> One occurrence was the [[MSC Napoli|MSC ''Napoli'']], which on 18 January 2007 was beached with nearly 1700&nbsp;tonnes of dangerous cargo in Lyme Bay, a protected World Heritage Site coastline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MSC Napoli {{!}} Ship Disasters |url=http://www.ship-disasters.com/commercial-ship-disasters/container-ship-disasters/msc-napoli/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190312233239/http://www.ship-disasters.com/commercial-ship-disasters/container-ship-disasters/msc-napoli/ |archive-date=12 March 2019 |access-date=3 February 2017 |website=www.ship-disasters.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The ship had been damaged and was en route to [[Portland Harbour]].

The English Channel, despite being a busy shipping lane, remains in part a haven for wildlife. Atlantic oceanic species are more common in the westernmost parts of the channel, particularly to the west of [[Start Point, Devon]], but can sometimes be found further east towards Dorset and the Isle of Wight. Seal sightings are becoming more common along the English Channel, with both [[grey seal]] and [[harbour seal]] recorded frequently.