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

A

1.2 Site code

IE0004077

1.3 Site name

River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries SPA

1.4 First Compilation date

2004-06

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:	2019-07
National legal reference of SPA designation	329/2019

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	-9.195569
Latitude:	52.618132

2.2 Area [ha]

32241.1999

2.3 Marine area [%]

95.3580

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

No habitat types are reported for the site

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	40	40	i		G	B	A	C	B
B	A056	Anas clypeata			w	56	56	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A052	Anas crecca			w	1558	1558	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A050	Anas penelope			w	3025	3025	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A053	Anas platyrhynchos			w	247	247	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A043	Anser anser			w	88	88	i		G	B	C	C	B
B	A169	Arenaria interpres			w	71	71	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A062	Aythya marila			w	76	76	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A046	Branta bernicla			w	135	135	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A149	Calidris alpina			w	14987	14987	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A143	Calidris canutus			w	686	686	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A137	Charadrius hiaticula			w	70	70	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A038	Cygnus cygnus			w	141	141	i		G	C	C	C	C
B	A130	Haematopus ostralegus			w	363	363	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A182	Larus canus			w	194	194	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A179	Larus ridibundus			w	1233	1233	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A157	Limosa lapponica			w	481	481	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A156	Limosa limosa			w	706	706	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A069	Mergus serrator			w	14	14	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A160	Numenius arquata			w	1231	1231	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A017	Phalacrocorax carbo			w	148	148	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A140	Pluvialis apricaria			w	4073	4073	i		G	B	B	C	B
B	A141	Pluvialis squatarola			w	564	564	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A005	Podiceps cristatus			w	47	47	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A048	Tadorna tadorna			w	895	895	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A164	Tringa nebularia			w	33	33	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A162	Tringa totanus			w	1983	1983	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A142	Vanellus vanellus			w	13007	13007	i		G	B	A	C	A

• 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			25	25	i						X
B		Cygnus olor			54	54	i						X
P		Scirpus triqueter									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
N05	1.00
N07	1.00
N03	1.00
N09	1.00
N02	96.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

The River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries form the largest estuarine complex in Ireland. The site comprises all of the estuarine habitat west from Limerick City and south from Ennis, extending west as far as Killadysert and Foynes on the north and south shores of the Shannon respectively (a distance of some 25 km from east to west). Also included are several areas in the outer Shannon estuary, notably Clonderalaw Bay and Poulnasherry Bay. The site has vast expanses of intertidal flats. The main macro-invertebrate community is a Macoma-Scrobicularia-Nereis community which provides a rich food resource for the wintering birds. Eelgrass (Zostera spp.) is present in places. The intertidal flats are often fringed with salt marsh vegetation, areas which provide important high tide roost sites for the birds. In the innermost parts of the estuaries, the tidal channels or creeks are fringed with species such as Phragmites australis and Scirpus spp. Spartina anglica is frequent in parts.

4.2 Quality and importance

This is the most important coastal wetland site in the country and regularly supports in excess of 50,000 wintering waterfowl. It has internationally important populations of Calidris alpina, Limosa limosa and Tringa totanus. A further 16 species have populations of national importance. The site is particularly significant for Calidris alpina (11% of national total), Pluvialis squatarola (7.5% of total), Vanellus vanellus (6.5% of total), Tringa totanus (6.1% of total) and Tadorna tadorna (6.0% of total). It has Cygnus cygnus, Pluvialis apricaria and Limosa lapponica in significant numbers. The site was formerly frequented by a population of Anser albifrons flavirostris but these have now abandoned the area. The site provides both feeding and roosting areas for the wintering birds and habitat quality for most of the estuarine habitats is good.

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)

Colhoun, K. (2001). I-WeBS Report 1998-99. 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 Environment, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 98B: 87-104. Falvey, J.P., Costello, M.J. and Dempsey, S. (1997). Survey of Intertidal Biotopes in Estuaries in Ireland. Unpublished report to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dublin. Fox, A.D., Norriss, D.W., Stroud, D.A. and Wilson, H.J. (1994). Greenland White-fronted Geese in Ireland and Britain 1982/83 - 1993/94. Greenland White-fronted Goose Study research report no. 8. Greenland White-fronted Goose Study, Wales and National Parks and Wildlife Service, 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 1: Northern Europe. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International (BirdLife Conservation Series No. 8). Irish Wetland Birds Survey (I-WeBS) Database, 1994/95-2000/01. BirdWatch Ireland, Dublin. Lysaght, L., Mee, T., Murphy, J. and Tarpey, T. (1994). Birds of Clare and Limerick, 1982-1991. A Ten Year Report. Irish Wildbird Conservancy, Limerick. McGarrigle, M.L., Bowman, J.J., Clabby, K.J., Lucey, J., Cunningham, P., MacCarthaigh, M., Keegan, M., Cantrell, B., Lehane, M., Clenaghan, C. and Toner, P.F. (2002). Water Quality in Ireland 1998-2000. Environmental Protection Agency, Wexford. Merne, O.J. (1985). The Infauna of the Shannon and Fergus Estuarine Mudflats as a Food Resource for Shorebirds. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, Trinity College, 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. Sheppard, R. (1993). Ireland's Wetland Wealth. IWC, Dublin.

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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

Code	Cover [%]
IE05	2.00

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

Designated at national or regional level:

Type code	Site name	Type	Cover [%]
IE05	Islandavanna Wildfowl Sanctuary	+	1.00
IE05	City of Limerick Wildfowl Sanctuary	*	1.00

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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Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional)

Yes X No

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SITE DISPLAY