Vestmannaeyjar (488)
Iceland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Vestmannaeyjar
Central coordinates: Latitude: 63.4385, Longitude: -20.2850
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 226
Area of KBA (km2): 30.93398
Protected area coverage (%): 17.87
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The site comprises all of the islands (and surrounding waters) in this offshore archipelago. Traditional harvesting of seabirds takes place (`Other' land-use): the eggs of Fulmarus glacialis and auks; the young, mainly of Sula bassana; and adults of Fratercula arctica.
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.
Additional biodiversity: More than one million pairs of seabirds breed here, including the largest congregation of breeding Oceanodroma leucorhoa in Europe, more than 90% of breeding Hydrobates pelagicus in Iceland, and 100% of breeding Puffinus puffinus in Iceland.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 20 | |
| Grassland | 20 | |
| Marine Neritic | 60 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The islands are not protected, except Surtsey, but Ystiklettur and three islands, Ellidaey, Súlnasker and Hellisey, are on the list of sites of conservation interest in the Nature Conservation Register.