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

IE0000709

1.3 Site name

Tacumshin Lake SAC

1.4 First Compilation date

1999-11

1.5 Update date

2020-10

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 classified as SPA:	1996-10
National legal reference of SPA designation	No information provided

Date site proposed as SCI:	1999-11
Date site confirmed as SCI:	No information provided
Date site designated as SAC:	2018-10
National legal reference of SAC designation:	422/2018

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	-6.468330
Latitude:	52.196660

2.2 Area [ha]

527.6640

2.3 Marine area [%]

82.5650

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

NUTS level 2 code	Region Name
IE02	Southern and Eastern

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
1150			378.84	0.00	G	A	B	B	A
1210			5.59	0.00	M	B	C	B	B
1220			3.9171	0.00	G	C	C	B	B
2110			0.7326	0.00	G	C	C	B	C
2120			13.2313	0.00	G	B	C	B	C

• 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	A054	Anas acuta			w	278	278	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A056	Anas clypeata			w	118	118	i		G	B	B	C	B
B	A052	Anas crecca			w	663	663	i		G	C	B	C	B
B	A050	Anas penelope			w	3608	3608	i		G	B	A	C	B
B	A053	Anas platyrhynchos			w	104	104	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A051	Anas strepera			w	51	51	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A059	Aythya ferina			w	86	86	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A061	Aythya fuligula			w	122	122	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A046	Branta bernicla			w	45	45	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A038	Cygnus cygnus			w	43	43	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A125	Fulica atra			w	690	690	i		G	B	A	C	B
B	A156	Limosa limosa			w	131	131	i		G	C	B	C	B
B	A160	Numenius arquata			w	268	268	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A140	Pluvialis apricaria			w	4987	4987	i		G	B	B	C	B
B	A048	Tadorna tadorna			w	33	33	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A142	Vanellus vanellus			w	5043	5043	i		G	B	B	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
P		Centaurium pulchellum									X
I		Cercyon sternalis												X
P		Chara canescens									X
B		Cygnus olor			193	193	i						X
I		Enochrus halophilus												X
R		Lacerta vivipara											X
I		Lekanesphaera hookeri												X
M		Lepus timidus hibernicus										X
M		Lepus timidus hibernicus											X
M		Lepus timidus hibernicus									X
I		Notonecta viridis												X
I		Ochthebius marinus												X
P		Otanthus maritimus									X
I		Palaemonetes varians												X
I		Plea leachi												X
F		Pungitius pungitius												X
A		Rana temporaria									X
A		Rana temporaria											X
I		Sigara concinna												X
I		Sigara stagnalis												X
I		Stenus nitidulus												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
N02	74.00
N04	22.00
N05	3.00
N08	1.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

Situated on the south Wexford coast, site comprises a large, shallow (1-2 m) sedimentary lagoon separated from the sea by a long (5-6 km) gravel/sand barrier. At present there is no natural outlet to the sea and the lagoon drains through installed pipes. The pipes are not of sufficient capacity to prevent winter flooding. Salinity is generally low but rises as water levels fall in summer. The lagoon bed sediments are colonised by halophytic vegetation, especially Salicornia spp. Substantial areas of the lagoon are now dominated by swamp vegetation and there are also marginal areas of wet grassland. The gravel/sand barrier is mostly covered by a sand dune system. Surrounding land is low-lying and used for agriculture, both pasture and arable.

4.2 Quality and importance

Site provides an excellent example of a shallow, generally oligohaline, percolation lagoon. One of the largest and best examples of its type in the country and one of the largest lagoonal habitat of any type in the country. Flora and fauna diverse and typically brackish. Has the Red Data Book charophyte Chara canescens and several rare lagoonal fauna specialists (Notonecta viridis, Enochrus halophilus, Ochthebius marinus). The gravel/sand barrier is an important geomorphological feature and has the very rare and Red Data Book species Otanthus maritimus. Dunes are of moderate quality. Important for waterfowl in autumn and winter. Has nationally important populations of eight species, and particularly important for Anas strepera and Anas acuta (11% and 14% of respective national totals). Used by the Annex I Bird Directive species Cygnus cygnus and Pluvialis apricaria and occasionally by Cygnus columbianus bewickii.

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)

Barnes, R.S.K. (1989). Coastal lagoons of Britain: an overview and conservation appraisal. Biological Conservation 49: 295-313.Carter, R.W.G. and Orford, J.D. (1980). Gravel barrier genesis and management: A contrast. Proceedings, Coastal Zone 80, American Society of Civil Engineers . 1304-1320.Carter, R.W.G. and Orford, J.D. (1982). The South and East Coasts of County Wexford. Field Guide No. 4: Irish Association for Quaternary Studies.Colhoun, K. (1998). I-WeBS Report 1996-97. BirdWatch Ireland, Dublin. Curtis, T.G.F. (1991a). A site inventory of the sandy coasts of Ireland. In Quigley, M.B. (ed.) A Guide to the Sand Dunes of Ireland. E.U.C.C. Dublin. Galvin, P. (1992). The ecology of the brackish-water lagoons of Wexford and East Cork. M.Sc. thesis, University College, Dublin.Good, J.A. (1999). Irish coastal lagoon survey, 1998. Vol V. Dúchas.Good, J.A. and Butler, F.T. (1998). Coastal lagoon shores as a habitat for Staphylinidae and Carabidae (Coleoptera) in Ireland. Bull. Ir. Biogeogr. Soc. 21: 21-66.Hatch, P. and Healy, B. (1998). Aquatic vegetation of Irish coastal lagoons. Bull. Ir. biogeogr. Soc. 21: 2-21.Healy, B. (1999). Irish coastal lagoon survey, 1998. Vol 1, Part 1. Background, Description and summary of the surveys. Dúchas.Healy. B. and Oliver, G.A. (1998). Irish coastal lagoons: summary of a survey. Bull. Ir. Biogeogr. Soc. 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. Report to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dublin.Hurley, J. (1994). The South Wexford Coast, Ireland - a natural heritage coastline. Telecom Eireann, 31 pp.Merne, O.J. & Curtis T.G.F. (1988). Proposed Nature Reserve Schedule at Tacumshin Lake, Co. Wexford. Unpublished document. National Parks & Wildlife Service, Dublin. 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. Oliver, G.A.. (1999). Irish coastal lagoon survey, 1998. Vol IV. Dúchas.Oliver, G.A. and Healy B. (1998). Records of aquatic fauna from coastal lagoons in Ireland. Bull. Ir. Biogeogr. Soc. 21: 66-115.Orford, J.D. and Carter, R.W.G. (1982). Geomorphological changes on the barrier coasts of South Wexford. Irish Geography 15: 70-71.Praeger, R.L (1934). The Botanist in Ireland. Hodges & Figgis, Dublin.Roden, C. (1999). Irish coastal lagoon survey, 1998. Vol III. Dúchas.Ruz, M-H. (1989). Recent evolution of the southeast barrier coast of Ireland. Journal of Coastal Research 5: 523-539.Sheppard, R. (1993). Irelands Wetland Wealth. IWC, Dublin. Stewart, N. & Church, I. (1992). Red Data Books of Britain and Ireland: Stoneworts. JNCC, Peterborough.

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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

Code	Cover [%]
IE05	25.00

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

Designated at national or regional level:

Type code	Site name	Type	Cover [%]
IE05	Tacumshin Lake Wildfowl Sanctuary	*	25.00

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.IE0000709
Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional)
Yes X No

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