Ireland’s largest protected area for bird species to be created in Irish Sea

A vast expanse of more than 230,000 hectares of marine waters in the Irish Sea is to become Ireland’s largest protected area for bird species.

The North-West Irish Sea Special Protection Area (SPA) increases the percentage of Ireland’s marine waters which are protected under the EU Birds and Habitats directives to more than 9 per cent – and will have implications for any offshore wind farms proposed for the area.

The new SPA adjoins 12 existing SPAs already designated along the east coast. Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan said his publication of detailed information and maps for the site “brings certainty and clarity to a long-mooted proposal for protections for marine birds in this area”.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) director general Niall Ó Donnchú said: “This is a milestone day for the protection of Ireland’s marine biodiversity. The estuaries and bays that open into the northwest Irish Sea, along with connecting coastal stretches of intertidal and shallow subtidal habitats, and the more pelagic waters further out to sea, provide safe feeding and roosting habitats for a range of bird species including the seabirds that breed at colonies along our islands and coastal headlands.”

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Ireland rightly had ambition and purpose in making a significant contribution to the targets set in the 2030 EU biodiversity strategy, he noted. “This new site is a determined step in that direction.”

The new SPA extends offshore along the coasts of counties Louth, Meath and Dublin. It protects the following species: common scoter; red-throated diver; great northern diver; fulmar; Manx shearwater; shag; cormorant; little gull; kittiwake; black-headed gull; common gull; lesser black-backed gull, herring gull, great black-backed gull, little tern, roseate tern, common tern, Arctic tern, puffin, razorbill and guillemot.

The site adjoins SPAs at Lambay Island; Skerries Island; Ireland’s Eye; Howth Head; Rockabill; South Dublin Bay and River Tolka Estuary; Boyne Estuary; River Nanny Estuary and Shore; Rogerstown Estuary; Malahide Estuary; Baldoyle Bay and North Bull Island.

[ Ireland’s fragile marine ecosystems at risk from wind power growth, Coastwatch warns ]

The SPA sets standards which wind farms will have to achieve or comply with. If developers can demonstrate compliance, this is likely to assist their chances of obtaining planning permission. It is understood, however, that clearing the designation hurdle will be very difficult.

Potential developers intending to submit applications for permission for offshore development in the Irish Sea and relevant competent authorities, who may have responsibility for determining such applications, will take this designation into account in the same way as for any Natura site.

EU regulations allow large infrastructural projects to proceed based on overriding public interest, which may trump designation in some cases. As part of its REPowerEU strategy, the European Commission has proposed a number of reforms to speed up permitting of renewables. A key reform is that expansion of renewables should henceforth be treated as a matter of overriding public interest.

The environmental coalition Fair Seas said it was seeking reassurance in relation to management of the new SPA.

Earlier this year, the commission published a report on the effectiveness of SPAs, which are designed to protect rare and vulnerable bird species, migratory bird species and wetlands deemed to be internationally important, and highlighted Ireland’s poor performance in this category. Out of 10 countries assessed, Ireland scored lowest in planning, implementation, site management, monitoring and conservation outcomes.

Fair Seas said it wants to see all SPAs and special areas of conservation (SACs) properly managed, with speedy implementation of effective conservation measures “which will allow these designations to truly protect the nature within them”.

Its marine policy officer Dr Donal Griffin said: “Ireland has a huge new marine protected Area (MPA). This SPA designated to protect seabirds is badly needed, considering we know that 63 per cent of Ireland’s bird species overall are in decline.”

MPA legislation due to go through the Oireachtas was critical for protecting marine species and habitats, Dr Griffin said.

More detailed information about the site is available at npws.ie/protectedsites

Publication of notice of intention to designate allows any person with an interest in the proposed site to submit an objection or observation to the NPWS through objections@npws.gov.ie

Objections or observations may only be based on scientific or ornithological grounds.