Traeth Lafan, Conwy Bay (2623)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Traeth Lafan, Conwy Bay
Central coordinates: Latitude: 53.2552, Longitude: -4.0422
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 50
Area of KBA (km2): 27.04754
Protected area coverage (%): 99.28
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This large intertidal area, at the eastern end of the Menai Straits, contains a range of habitats including exposed and sheltered sands and mudflats diversified by freshwater streams. The IBA is important for wintering and passage wildfowl and waders.
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 two IBAs: Traeth Lavan (Lavan Sands) and Puffin Island; renamed Traeth Lavan (Lavan Sands), Conwy Bay in 1992; site split in 2007 into Ynys Seiriol/Puffin Island and Traeth Lavan, Conwy Bay. 2000 area, 2700ha. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 48 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 48 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 5 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Only in the future | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Only in the future |