Lough Neagh and Lough Beg (2531)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1d
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Lough Neagh and Lough Beg
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.5845, Longitude: -6.4457
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 20
Area of KBA (km2): 508.91672
Protected area coverage (%): 98.52
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Shallow water-bodies with associated damp grassland, reedbed (Phragmites), islands, fen and pasture. Lough Neagh is the largest UK freshwater lake, with water-levels subject to erratic, artificial change. The IBA is important for wintering wildfowl and summer assemblages of moulting waterfowl.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Delineation rationale: First identified in 1989; added missing parts of SPA in 2007. 2000 area, 50165ha. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale. Additional area added on 1:50,000 maps.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 33 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 33 | |
| Shrubland | 33 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Nutrient loads | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Small dams | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Industrial aquaculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Natural system modifications | Other ecosystem modifications | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |