Key Biodiversity Areas

The northern part of the Curonian Lagoon (221)
Lithuania, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Kursiu marios (Kursiu mariu siaurine dalis)
Central coordinates: Latitude: 55.9333, Longitude: 20.9000
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 14.75073
Protected area coverage (%): 99.91
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: The coastline and adjacent brackish water area (up to 2 km offshore) of a shallow marine bay. The area is used for shipping and industrial fishing.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: An important area for staging and wintering waterbirds, supporting more than 20,000 birds in total, especially ducks and swans. The site is very important for wintering Mergus albellus and M. merganser.

Habitats


Land use: fisheries/aquaculture | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Marine Coastal/Supratidal100