Larne Lough (2503)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Larne Lough
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.8067, Longitude: -5.7357
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 3.95712
Protected area coverage (%): 99.98
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A sea lough containing mudflats, mussel-beds and a small area of saltings. The IBA includes the small, vegetated Swan Island, and the man-made `Blue Circle' Island. The mudflats are important for wintering Branta bernicla hrota from the Canadian/Greenland breeding population, while Swan/Blue Circle Islands support an important mixed tern colony.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Delineation rationale: First identified in 1989 as Larne Lough and Swan Island; renamed as Larne Lough and Swan/Blue Circle Islands in 2000; renamed as Larne Lough in 2007. 2000 area of 1160ha included water areas incorrectly. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 33 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 33 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 33 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Oil spills | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing |