Dungarvan Harbour (604)
Ireland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Dungarvan Harbour
Central coordinates: Latitude: 52.0667, Longitude: -7.5667
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 10
Area of KBA (km2): 20.93998
Protected area coverage (%): 99.84
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A large, east-facing sea bay on the south coast in County Waterford. The extensive intertidal sand- and mudflats at this site are sheltered by Helvick Head to the south and Ballynacourty Point to the north. The linear Cunnigar shingle-spit extends far into the bay, providing further shelter to the inner mudflats.
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: An important site for wintering waterbirds. Several additional species occur in numbers of national importance including Tadorna tadorna (995 birds, 1995), Pluvialis apricaria (6,100 birds, 1996), Vanellus vanellus (3,775 birds, 1996) and Tringa totanus (910 birds, 1996).
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (30%) | not utilised (50%) | tourism/recreation (20%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 80 | |
| Marine Neritic | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The southern side of this bay has been extensively developed for intertidal shellfish cultivation. Possible implications are loss of, and changes to, the intertidal habitat, and increased disturbance to wintering birds. The beach and harbour are also of high recreational importance with further implications in terms of disturbance to the site.