Kongsøy (3144)
Norway, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Kongsøy
Central coordinates: Latitude: 70.7333, Longitude: 29.5000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 99
Area of KBA (km2): 3.28746
Protected area coverage (%): 86.67
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Kongsøy is a large, grass-covered island with steep cliffs. Helløy and Skarvholmen are low-lying islands with minimal vegetation. This site comprises 75 ha of land and 205 ha of sea. Gulls' eggs are collected by people from Kongsfjord and Berlevåg.
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: A breeding colony of Rissa tridactyla (c.18,000 pairs) is nationally important.
Delineation rationale: Mainly adopted from the official polygon for a Protected Area, but the three separate polygons of the protected area have been merged in the IBA.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 9 | |
| Marine Neritic | 73 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 9 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 9 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Planned oil production in the Barents Sea may have a negative impact on coastal and marine birds.