Grímsey, Eyjafirdi (520)
Iceland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Grímsey, Eyjafirði
Central coordinates: Latitude: 66.5617, Longitude: -17.9917
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 105
Area of KBA (km2): 49.05736
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: An offshore island with sea cliffs and grasslands. Land-uses include sheep farming, fishing, tourism, collection of eggs of Uria aalge, and traditional harvesting of adult puffins 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: Huge numbers of seabird breed; other common species include Fulmarus glacialis, Uria lomvia (c.7,100 pairs) and Sterna paradisaea (hundreds of pairs).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | hunting | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 20 | |
| Marine Neritic | 60 | |
| Grassland | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Disturbance of birds by tourists and hunters is a threat, as is egg-collecting. The area is on the list of sites of conservation interest in the Nature Conservation Register.