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In Ireland’s marine and coastal zone, SACs have
been designated under Annex II of the Habitats
Directive for four purely marine species and five species
that occur in coastal
and inland waters. A further
five terrestrial
species commonly occur in coastal SACs.
Detailed descriptions of all Annex II species can be
found on the website of the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), here.
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Code |
Species |
Code |
Species |
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1349 |
1364 |
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1351 |
1365 |
The bottlenose dolphin is one of the most abundant cetaceans
(whales & dolphins) in Irish waters.
It is primarily an inshore species and can be seen on all Irish
coasts. Most sightings are within 10 km
of land, but they can also occur offshore, often in association with other
cetaceans. Offshore animals may
represent a separate population, although some inshore dolphins may move offshore
during the winter months. Sightings are
most common off the coast off Kerry, Clare,
For further information on
bottlenose dolphins, including sighting and stranding records, see the website
of the Irish Whale and
Dolphin Group.
The harbour, or common, porpoise
(Much mhara) is the smallest and most
abundant cetacean
in Irish waters and possibly the most abundant in the northeast
Two marine SACs have been
designated due to the presence of harbour porpoises –
For further information on harbour
porpoises, including sighting and stranding records, see the website of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.
The grey seal (Rón mór) is the
larger and more abundant of the two seals resident in
For information on grey seal, including population
estimates, see the NPWS Irish
Wildlife Manuals (No. 13).
The common, or harbour, seal (Rón breacach) is the
smaller of the two seals resident in
For information on common seals, including population
estimates, see the NPWS Irish
Wildlife Manuals (Nos. 11 & 13).
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Code |
Species |
Code |
Species |
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1095 |
1103 |
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1099 |
1355 |
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1102 |
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The sea lamprey is a primitive, jawless fish
resembling an eel. The adult is
parasitic on a wide variety of fish and occasionally on cetaceans such as the harbour
porpoise. It occurs in
offshore waters, shallow inshore waters, estuaries and easily accessible rivers
over much of the Atlantic coastal area of western and northern
There are ten SACs designated due to the presence of
sea lampreys. Of these, seven are
coastal sites -
For information on lampreys in
The river lamprey is a native species that inhabits
shallow inshore waters and accessible rivers.
It is normally anadromous (i.e. spawning in freshwater but completing
part of its life cycle in the sea), and pollution or artificial obstacles such
as weirs or dams can impede migration.
The adult is parasitic, mainly on herring and sprat. The River lamprey is listed in Appendix III
of the Bern
Convention.
There are nine SACs designated due to the presence of
river lampreys. Of these, seven are
coastal sites -
For information on lampreys in
The
There are four coastal SACs designated for
For information on
The twaite shad, along with the Allis
shad, is a member of the herring family. It lives mostly at sea but returns from the
sea to the lower reaches of slow-flowing rivers to spawn in spring, usually
between April and June. The distribution
and habitat requirements of twaite shad are not well understood. European populations of twaite shad are in
decline due to overfishing in estuaries, obstruction of river migration by
pollution, dams and weirs, and habitat destruction. It is classified as ‘vulnerable’ and is
listed in Appendix III of the Bern
Convention.
The same four SACs designated for
For information on twaite shad in
The otter (Madra uisce) is a semi-aquatic mammal, which occurs in a wide
variety of aquatic habitats such as rivers, streams, lakes, estuaries and on
the coast. Populations in coastal areas
use shallow, inshore marine areas for feeding but they also require access to
fresh water for bathing and terrestrial areas for resting and breeding. Coastal otter habitat ranges from sheltered
wooded inlets to more open, low-lying coasts.
The otter is found throughout
Examples of coastal SACs designated
on the basis of their otter populations include
The following Annex II terrestrial species commonly
occur in coastal sites:
|
Code |
Species |
Code |
Species |
|
1014 |
Whorl Snail (Vertigo angustior) |
1395 |
Petalwort (Petalophyllum ralfsii) |
|
1024 |
Kerry Slug (Geomalacus maculosus) |
1355 |
Slender Naiad (Najas flexilis) |
|
1106 |
Salmon (Salmo salar) |
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N.B. Only the freshwater habitat of salmon is
considered for designation.
Descriptions of some of these Annex II species can be
found on the website of the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), here.
JNCC Species Accounts - http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/SAC_species.asp
Irish Whale and Dolphin Group - http://www.iwdg.ie/
NPWS Wildlife Manuals - http://www.npws.ie/en/PublicationsLiterature/IrishWildlifeManuals/
UK Biodiversity Action Plans (
UK Biodiversity Action Plans (Twaite Shad) - http://www.ukbap.org.uk/UKPlans.aspx?ID=85
Cronin, M., Duck, C., O Cadhla, O., Nairn, R., Strong, D. and O'Keeffe,
C. (2003). Harbour seal population
assessment in the
Doherty, D. O’Maoileidigh, N. and McCarthy, T.K. (2004). The Biology, Ecology and Future Conservation
of Twaite Shad (
Igoe, F., Quigley, D.T.G., Marnell, F.,
King, J.J. (2002). Investigations of Conservation Fish species
in 2001 - Summary Report and Recommendations. Central Fisheries Board,
King J. J. and Linnane S. M. (2004).
The status and distribution of lamprey and shad in the Slaney and
Munster Blackwater SACs. Irish Wildlife
Manuals, No. 14. National Parks
and Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government,
Kurz,
Lyons, D. O. (2004). Summary of
National Parks and Wildlife Service surveys for common (harbour) seals (Phoca
vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), 1978 to 2003. Irish
Wildlife Manuals, No. 13.
National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and
Local Government, Dublin, Ireland. http://www.npws.ie/en/PublicationsLiterature/Allpublications/d6782.en.v1.0.t4.PDF
O'Connor, W. (2004) A Survey of juvenile lamprey populations in the Moy catchment. Irish
Wildlife Manuals, No. 15.
National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and
Local Government, Dublin, Ireland. http://www.npws.ie/en/PublicationsLiterature/Allpublications/file,826,en.pdf
O’Keeffe, C. and
Dromey, M. (2004). Designation of Sites
for Fish under the EU Habitats Directive.
Biology and Environment: Proc. R. Ir. Acad., 104B (3): 103-105. http://www.ria.ie/publications/journals/procbi/2004/Pb104i3/PB104I3.html
Whilde, A.
(1993). Threatened mammals, Birds, Amphibians and Fish in Ireland. Irish Rea Data Book 2: Vertebrates. HMSO, Belfast.
