For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
• 2. SITE LOCATION
• 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
• 4. SITE DESCRIPTION
• 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
• 6. SITE MANAGEMENT
• 7. MAP OF THE SITE

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

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1.1 Type

B

1.2 Site code

IE0000268

1.3 Site name

Galway Bay Complex SAC

1.4 First Compilation date

1999-08

1.5 Update date

2021-12

1.6 Respondent:

Name/Organisation:	National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Address:
Email:	datadelivery@chg.gov.ie

1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates

Date site proposed as SCI:	1999-08
Date site confirmed as SCI:	No information provided
Date site designated as SAC:	2021-10
National legal reference of SAC designation:	548/2021

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	-9.038200
Latitude:	53.199800

2.2 Area [ha]

14387.6935

2.3 Marine area [%]

89.6600

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

NUTS level 2 code	Region Name
IE01	Border, Midland and Western

2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)

Atlantic

(0.00 %)

3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them

Annex I Habitat types						Site assessment
Code	PF	NP	Cover [ha]	Cave [number]	Data quality	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Representativity	Relative Surface	Conservation	Global
1140			744.291	0.00	M	A	B	B	B
1150			76.6713	0.00	M	A	C	B	A
1160			10824.5	0.00	M	A	A	A	B
1170			2772.7	0.00	M	A	C	B	A
1220			0.6241	0.00	M	B	C	B	B
1230			18.85	0.00	G	A	C	B	B
1310			1.3484	0.00	M	C	C	B	C
1330			263.797	0.00	M	A	C	B	A
1410			19.8893	0.00	M	A	C	B	B
3180			63.3081	0.00	M	B	C	B	C
5130			1.4149	0.00	M	B	C	C	C
6210	X		144.09	0.00	M	B	C	B	B
7210			144.09	0.00	M	B	C	C	C
7230			144.09	0.00	M	B	C	C	C
8240			125.844	0.00	G	B	C	B	B

• PF: for the habitat types that can have a non-priority as well as a priority form (6210, 7130, 9430) enter "X" in the column PF to indicate the priority form.
• NP: in case that a habitat type no longer exists in the site enter: x (optional)
• Cover: decimal values can be entered
• Caves: for habitat types 8310, 8330 (caves) enter the number of caves if estimated surface is not available.
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation)

3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them

Species					Population in the site						Site assessment
G	Code	Scientific Name	S	NP	T	Size		Unit	Cat.	D.qual.	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Min	Max				Pop.	Con.	Iso.	Glo.
B	A056	Anas clypeata			w	73	73	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A052	Anas crecca			w	446	446	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A050	Anas penelope			w	1294	1294	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A053	Anas platyrhynchos			w	294	294	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A169	Arenaria interpres			w	151	151	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A062	Aythya marila			w	39	39	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A046	Branta bernicla			w	517	517	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A149	Calidris alpina			w	1465	1465	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A137	Charadrius hiaticula			w	266	266	i		G	B	A	C	B
B	A064	Clangula hyemalis			w	27	27	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A002	Gavia arctica			w	28	28	i		G	A	A	B	A
B	A003	Gavia immer			w	35	35	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A130	Haematopus ostralegus			w	417	417	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A157	Limosa lapponica			w	316	316	i		G	C	A	C	B
M	1355	Lutra lutra			p				P	DD	C	A	C	A
B	A070	Mergus merganser			w	232	232	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A160	Numenius arquata			w	620	620	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A017	Phalacrocorax carbo			r	300	300	p	P	M	B	A	C	A
B	A017	Phalacrocorax carbo			w	224	224	i		G	B	A	C	B
M	1365	Phoca vitulina			p	317	317	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A140	Pluvialis apricaria			w	1440	1440	i		G	C	B	C	B
B	A141	Pluvialis squatarola			w	76	76	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A193	Sterna hirundo			r	99	99	p		G	B	B	C	A
B	A191	Sterna sandvicensis			r	81	81	p		G	B	A	C	A
B	A048	Tadorna tadorna			w	119	119	i		G	C	B	C	B
B	A164	Tringa nebularia			w	20	20	i		G	B	A	C	B
B	A162	Tringa totanus			w	498	498	i		G	B	A	C	B
B	A142	Vanellus vanellus			w	3507	3507	i		G	C	A	C	B

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
• Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)

3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)

Species					Population in the site				Motivation
Group	CODE	Scientific Name	S	NP	Size		Unit	Cat.	Species Annex		Other categories
					Min	Max		C|R|V|P	IV	V	A	B	C	D
B		Ardea cinerea			93	93	i						X
P		Ascophyllum nodosum var. mackii												X
I		Brundinia meridionalis												X
I		Cerastoderma glaucum												X
P		Chaetomorpha linum												X
P		Chara canescens									X
I		Conopeum seurati												X
I		Cordylophora caspia												X
P		Crambe maritima									X
B		Cygnus olor			141	141	i						X
I		Enochrus bicolor												X
I		Gammarus chevreuxi												X
I		Hydrobia ventrosa												X
P		Hyoscyamus niger									X
I		Idotea chelipes												X
I		Jaera ischiosetosa												X
P		Lamprothamnium papulosum									X
M		Lepus timidus hibernicus										X
M		Lepus timidus hibernicus											X
M		Lepus timidus hibernicus									X
I		Littorina tenebrosa												X
I		Mycale contarenii												X
I		Neomysis integer												X
I		Ochthebius auriculatus												X
I		Ochthebius punctatus												X
I		Ostrea edulis												X
I		Palaemonetes varians												X
I		Paracentrotus lividus												X
I		Pholas dactylus												X
P		Phyllophora sicula												X
I		Pomatias elegans												X
A		Rana temporaria									X
A		Rana temporaria											X
P		Rhodymenia delicatula												X
P		Ruppia cirrhosa												X
P		Ruppia maritima												X
I		Stenus nigritulus												X

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
• Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
• Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons

4. SITE DESCRIPTION

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4.1 General site character

Habitat class	% Cover
N01	81.00
N02	7.00
N03	1.00
N04	1.00
N05	2.00
N06	1.00
N07	1.00
N08	1.00
N09	1.00
N10	1.00
N16	1.00
N22	1.00
N23	1.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

The Galway Bay Complex is a very large, marine-dominated, site situated on the west coast of Ireland. The inner part of the south bay is protected from exposure to Atlantic swells by the Aran Islands and Black Head. Subsidiary bays and inlets (e.g. Poulnaclough, Aughinish and Kinvara Bays) add texture to the patterns of water movement and sediment deposition, which lends variety to the marine habitats and communities. The terraced Carboniferous (Visean) limestone platform of the Burren sweeps down to the shore and into the sublittoral. West of Galway city, the bedrock geology is granite. The long shoreline is noted for its diversity, with complex mixtures of bedrock shore, shingle beach, sandy beach and fringing salt marshes. Other habitats which occur in small amounts include lagoon, fen, turlough, dry grassland, wet grassland and deciduous woodland.

4.2 Quality and importance

The site has very important and good quality examples of large shallow inlets and bays, intertidal mud and sandflats, and reefs. The area has the countrys only recorded example of the littoral community characterized by Fucus serratus with sponges, ascidians and red seaweeds on tide-swept lower eulittoral mixed substrata. Sublittorally, the area has Irelands only reported piddock bed, an extensive maerl bed of Phymatolithon calcareum, an oyster bed, and seagrass beds. A host of rare marine organisms occur, including the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, the sponge Mycale contarenii, the red algae Phyllophora sicula and Rhodymenia delicatula. Lagoons are particularly well represented and varied in type, size and salinity. Of especial importance are the rare karstic rock lagoons, of which the site holds all but one of the examples known from the mainland of Ireland. Good quality salt marshes of both Atlantic and Mediterranean types are well represented and occur along with perennial vegetation of stony banks. A very good, though limited, example of calcareous grassland rich in orchids occurs, and there are examples of alkaline fen and Juniperus communis scrub of moderate quality. Two Red Data Book stoneworts occur, Chara canescens and Lamprothamnium papulosum, and also two Red Data Book vascular plants - Crambe maritima and Hyoscyamus niger. The site has one of the largest populations of Phoca vitulina in the country, and provides optimum habitat for Lutra lutra. Galway Bay is a very important ornithological site, with an internationally important wintering population of Branta bernicla hrota and regular nationally important populations of a further 16 species, including Gavia immer, Gavia arctica, Pluvialis apricaria and Limosa lapponica. Breeding birds of note are Phalacrocorax carbo, Sterna sandvicensis and Sterna hirundo.

4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site

The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site

4.4 Ownership (optional)

No information provided

4.5 Documentation (optional)

Booth, D.A. (1974). The Water Structure and Circulation of Killary Harbour and of Galway Bay. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, National University of Ireland. Costelloe, J., Keegan, B.R. and Konnecker, G.F. (1986). Rocky subtidal assemblages on the west coast of Ireland. Hydrobiologia 142: 97-111. Colhoun, K. (1998). I-WeBS Report 1996-97. BirdWatch Ireland, Dublin. Curtis, T.G.F. and Sheehy Skeffington, M.J. (1998). The salt marshes of Ireland: an inventory and account of their geographical variation. Biology and the Environment, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 98B: 87-104. De Valera, M., Pybus, C., Casley, B. and Webster, A. (1979). Littoral and benthic investigations on the west coast of Ireland, X. Marine algae of the northern shores of the Burren, County Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Acadamy 79B: 259 269.Farrington, A. (1964). Raised beaches in Galway Bay. Irish Naturalists' Journal 14: 216-217.Good, J.A. (1999). Irish Coastal Lagoon Survey, 1998. Vol 5. Unpublished report to National Parks and Wildlife, Dublin.Good, J.A. and Butler, F.T. (1998). Coastal lagoon shores as a habitat for Staphylinidae and Carabidae (Coleoptera) in Ireland. Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society 21: 21-66.Hannon, C., Berrow, S.D. and Newton S.F. (1997). The status and distribution of breeding Sandwich Sterna sandvicensis, Roseate S. dougallii, Common S. hirundo, Arctic S. paradisaea and Little Terns S. albifrons in Ireland in 1995. Irish Birds 6: 1-22.Hatch, P. and Healy, B. (1998). Aquatic vegetation of Irish coastal lagoons. Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society 21: 2-21.Harper, D.A.T. (1991). The brachiopods Neocrania and Terebratulina from Galway Bay. Irish Naturalists' Journal 23: 371-374.Healy, B. (1999). Irish Coastal Lagoon Survey, 1998. Vol 1, Part 1. Background, Description and Summary of the surveys. Unpublished report to National Parks and Wildlife, Dublin.Healy. B. and Oliver, G.A. (1998). Irish coastal lagoons: summary of a survey. Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society 21: 116-151.Healy, B,. Oliver, G.A., Hatch, P. and Good, J.A. (1997). Coastal Lagoons in the Republic of Ireland. Vol. 2 Inventory of Lagoons and Saline Lakes. Unpublished report to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dublin.Heffernan, M.L. (1995). Shellfish Farming and Special Protections Areas for Birds in Ireland. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis. Trinity College, Dublin. Hunt, J., Derwin, J., Coveney, J. and Newton, S. (2000). Republic of Ireland. Pp. 365-416 in Heath, M.F. and Evans, M.I. (eds). Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority sites for Conservation I: Northern Europe. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International (BirdLife Conservation Series No. 8).Lansbury, I. (1965). Notes on Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Diptera and other Invertebrates of the Burren, Co. Clare and Inishmore, Aran Islands. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 64B: 89-115.Lloyd, C. (1982). Inventory of Seabird Breeding Colonies in the Republic of Ireland, Unpublished report to the Forestry and Wildlife Service, Dublin.Lockley, R.M. (1966). The distribution of grey and common seals on the coasts of Ireland. The Irish Naturalists Journal 15: 136-143. Merne, O.J. (1989). Important bird areas in the Republic of Ireland. In: Grimmett, R.F.A. and Jones, T.A. (eds). Important Bird Areas in Europe. ICBP Technical Publication No. 9, Cambridge. Murphy, K.P. and Fairley, J.S. (1985a). Food of otters Lutra lutra on the south shore of Galway Bay. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 85B: 47-55.Murphy, K.P. and Fairley, J.S. (1985b). Food and sprainting places of otters on the west coast of Ireland. The Irish Naturalists' Journal 21: 477-479. OConnor, B, McGrath, D., Konnecker, G., and Keegan, B. F. (1993). Benthic macrofaunal assemblages of Greater Galway Bay. Biology and Environment, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 93B: 127-136.Oliver, G.A. (1999). Irish Coastal Lagoon Survey, 1998. Vol 4. Unpublished report to National Parks and Wildlife, Dublin. .Oliver, G.A. and Healy B. (1998). Records of aquatic fauna from coastal lagoons in Ireland. Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society 21: 66-115.Pybus, C. and Pybus, M.J. (1981). An ecological study of Lough Murree, a brackish water lake in County Clare. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 80B: 367-384Roden, C. (1999). Irish Coastal Lagoon Survey, 1998. Vol 3. Unpublished report to National Parks and Wildlife, Dublin.Ryland, J.S. (1969). Some shore fishes from Galway Bay. The Irish Naturalists' Journal 16: 127-131Ryland, J.S. and Nelson-Smith, A. (1975). Littoral and benthic investigations on the west coast of Ireland - IV. (Section A: faunistic and ecological studies.) Some shores in counties Clare and Galway. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 75B: 245-266. Ruttledge, R.F. (1994). Birds in Counties Galway and Mayo. An account of Their Status and Distribution. Irish Wildbird Conservancy, Dublin. Sheehy-Skeffington, M. (1987). Lough Atalia and Adjacent Marshes - Wildlife and Flora of Interest. Unpublished report, University College, Galway. Sheppard, R. (1993). Irelands Wetland Wealth. IWC, Dublin. Stewart, N. and Church, I. (1992). Red Data Books of Britain and Ireland: Stoneworts. JNCC, Peterborough. Summers, C.F., Warner, P.J., Nairn R.G.W., Curry, M.G. and Flynn, J. (1980). An assessment of the status of the common seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina) in Ireland. Biological Conservation 17: 115-123. Warner, P. (1983). An assessment of the breeding populations of common seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina L.) in the Republic of Ireland during 1979. The Irish Naturalists Journal 21: 24-26. Warner, P. (1984). Report on the Census of Common Seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) in the Republic of Ireland during 1984. Unpublished document to the Forest and Wildlife Service, Dublin.Webb, D.A. and Scannell, M.J.P. (1983). Flora of Connemara and the Burren. Royal Dublin Society and Cambridge University Press, Dublin and Cambridge.Whilde, A. (1983). The wintering bird communities of Inner Galway Bay. Irish Birds 2: 278-293. Whilde, A. (1985). The All Ireland Tern Survey 1984. Unpublished report for the Irish Wildbird Conservancy, Dublin. Whilde, A. (1990). Birds of Galway. Irish Wildbird Conservancy, Galway. Cronin, M., Duck, C., Ó Cadhla, O., Nairn, R., Strong, D. and O'Keeffe, C. (2004). Harbour seal population assessment in the Republic of Ireland: August 2003. Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 11. National Parks & Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government., 7 Ely Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. 34 pp.Cronin, M., Duck, C., Ó Cadhla, O., Nairn, R., Strong, D. and O'Keeffe, C. (2007). An assessment of harbour seal population size and distribution in the Republic of Ireland during the 2003 moult season. J. Zool. Lond. 273 Issue 2: 131-139.Harrington, R. (1990). 1989 survey of breeding herds of common seal Phoca vitulina with reference to previous surveys. Report to the National Parks & Wildlife Service. 10pp.Lyons, D.O. (2004). Summary of National Parks & Wildlife Service surveys for common (harbour) seals (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), 1978 to 2003. Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 13. National Parks & Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, 7 Ely Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. 67pp.

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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5.1 Designation types at national and regional level (optional):

Code	Cover [%]
IE05	1.00

5.2 Relation of the described site with other sites (optional):

Designated at national or regional level:

Type code	Site name	Type	Cover [%]
	Inner Galway Bay	*	99.00
IE05	Lough Rusheen Wildfowl Sanctuary	*	1.00

Designated at international level:

Type	Site name	Type	Cover [%]
Other	Inner Galway Bay	*	99.00

5.3 Site designation (optional)

No information provided

6. SITE MANAGEMENT

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6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:

No information provided

6.2 Management Plan(s):

An actual management plan does exist:

	Yes
	No, but in preparation
X	No

6.3 Conservation measures (optional)

No information provided

 

7. MAP OF THE SITE

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INSPIRE ID:	IE.NPWS.PS.NATURA2000.SAC.IE0000268
Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional)
Yes X No

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