Froan (3187)
Norway, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2014
National site name: Froan
Central coordinates: Latitude: 63.8333, Longitude: 8.6667
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 40
Area of KBA (km2): 761.51688
Protected area coverage (%): 99.91
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Froan archipelago consists of hundreds of islands, islets and skerries. Most of the islands are low and undulating, with rock outcrops, moorland and small bogs. Only the islands of Sauøya and Sørbuøya are inhabited at present.
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: Up to 17 Gavia adamsii and eight Gavia immer winter in the area.
Delineation rationale: Adopted from an official polygon for a Protected Area.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (10%) | nature conservation and research (85%) | tourism/recreation (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 90 | |
| Shrubland | 3 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 3 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 3 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The large concentrations of moulting and wintering waterbirds in the area are extremely vulnerable to oil pollution.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Marine & freshwater aquaculture | Industrial aquaculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Motivation Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Shipping lanes | Ongoing |