Strangford Lough and islands (2606)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Strangford Lough and islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.4817, Longitude: -5.5832
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 155.69205
Protected area coverage (%): 99.97
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A shallow sea lough with an indented shoreline and a wide variety of marine and intertidal habitats. The west shore has numerous islands typical of flooded drumlin topography. This is Northern Ireland's most important coastal site for wintering wildfowl, and is also of importance for breeding terns.
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; no significant boundary changes since then. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 25 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 25 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 25 | |
| Marine Neritic | 25 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Subsistence/artisinal aquaculture | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing |