Killala Bay (565)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Killala Bay
Central coordinates: Latitude: 54.2167, Longitude: -9.1500
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 26
Area of KBA (km2): 34.72372
Protected area coverage (%): 92.52
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A north-facing triangular bay, on the county borders of Mayo and Sligo and at the mouth of the Moy river. A long, sand island, Bartragh Island, separates the south-west side of the bay from open water. Most of the inner region is intertidal, with extensive sand- and mudflats. The main land-uses are for amenity, and the Moy estuary is renowned for salmon fishing.
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.
Additional biodiversity: Other wintering species occurring in numbers of national importance include Mergus serrator (31 birds, 1996), Charadrius hiaticula (140 birds, 1995), Pluvialis squatarola (237 birds, 1996), Calidris alba (57 birds, 1996) and Calidris alpina (2,131 birds, 1996).
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (80%) | hunting (100%) | tourism/recreation (50%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 50 | |
| Marine Neritic | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats to the site are uncontrolled or accidental emissions into the estuary and bay from Ballina sewage plant and, until recently, from the chemical plant (Asahi) at Killala (now closed). Other threats include intensive holiday-village developments adjacent to the bay, and golf-course expansion and development on the dunes at Inishcrone and Bartragh Island. There is damage to saltmarsh due to grazing and tractors. The site lies within a proposed candidate Special Area for Conservation (Killala Bay; area not known).