Tralee Bay and Barrow Harbour (591)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Tralee Bay, Barrow Harbour and Akeragh Lough
Central coordinates: Latitude: 52.2667, Longitude: -9.8000
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 33.66683
Protected area coverage (%): 93.69
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A large, shallow sea bay on the north coast of County Kerry, including intertidal areas at the mouth of the River Lee (where the town of Tralee is located) and at Barrow Harbour. Some protection is given to the River Lee estuary by Derrymore Island, a spit formed of shingle ridges, while Barrow Harbour is protected by land with only a small inlet open to the sea. North of Barrow Harbour the site encompasses a large, sandy intertidal inlet, sand-dunes and beach which extend as far as Akeragh Lough. The site has been extended since the previous pan-European inventory (Grimmett and Jones 1989) to include Akeragh Lough and intervening coastal habitats (former site IE059).
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: This is an important wetland, with internationally important numbers of wintering waterfowl. Several other species occur in numbers of national importance including Anas crecca (860 birds, 1995), Melanitta nigra (620 birds, 1995), Pluvialis apricaria (3,053 birds, 1995) and Vanellus vanellus (5,700 birds, 1995).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (10%) | fisheries/aquaculture (50%) | hunting (80%) | nature conservation and research (20%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 10 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 90 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Akeragh Lough has been seriously degraded by siltation, drainage and nutrient pollution, the latter as a result of effluent discharge from the adjacent caravan site. Habitat quality within the intertidal zone is threatened by the spread of non-native cord-grass Spartina with further possible adverse effects due to the proximity of Tralee town. The IBA overlaps with a proposed candidate Special Area for Conservation (Tralee Bay and Magherees peninsula, West to Cloghane; area not known).