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Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 2007

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population estimate	IBA Criteria Triggered
Brent Goose Branta bernicla	LC	winter	2002-2006	495 individuals	B1i, C3
Greater Scaup Aythya marila	LC	winter	2002-2006	255 individuals	B2
Common Redshank Tringa totanus	LC	winter	2002-2006	1,278 individuals	B2
Common Tern Sterna hirundo	LC	breeding	2000-2006	398-509 breeding pairs	C6
Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis	LC	breeding	2000-2006	650-826 breeding pairs	B1i, B2, C2, C6

Note: This table presents the IBA criteria triggered and the species that triggered then at the time of assessment, the current IUCN Red List category may vary from that which was in place at that time.

For more information about the IBA assessment process and criteria please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
Threat Level 1	Threat Level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	marine and freshwater aquaculture - industrial aquaculture	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	renewable energy	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Natural system modifications	other ecosystem modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	domestic & urban waste water - type unknown/unrecorded	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	commercial and industrial development	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	shipping lanes	likely in short term (within 4 years)	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Condition of key/trigger populations (state)
Scientific	Common	TargetPop	ActualPop	Units	Remaining	Result
Branta bernicla	Brent Goose	320	467	individuals	100	favourable
Aythya marila	Greater Scaup	555	310	individuals	56	unfavourable
Sterna hirundo	Common Tern	509	398	breeding pairs	79	near favourable
Thalasseus sandvicensis	Sandwich Tern	270	825	breeding pairs	100	favourable

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	Conservation Action	Result
Most of site (50-90%) covered (including the most critical parts for important bird species)	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	Some limited conservation initiatives are in place	low

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
White Water River	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	62	protected area is adjacent to site	0
ROSTREVOR WOOD	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	17	protected area overlaps with site	0
Rostrevor Wood	Site of Community Importance (Habitats Directive)	17	protected area overlaps with site	0
RING OF GULLION AONB	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NI)	15,344	protected area is adjacent to site	0
MOURNE AONB	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NI)	57,994	protected area overlaps with site	0
Mourne	Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	0	protected area overlaps with site	976
Carlingford Lough Islands	Nature Reserve	17	protected area overlaps with site	0
CARLINGFORD LOUGH	Area of Special Scientific Interest (NI)	1,100	protected area overlaps with site	1,105
Carlingford Lough	Marine Protected Area (OSPAR)	0	protected area overlaps with site	0
Carlingford Lough	Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance	831	protected area overlaps with site	827
Carlingford Lough	Special Protection Area (Birds Directive)	827	protected area overlaps with site	827

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Wetlands (inland)	Mud flats and sand flats, Salt marshes	-
Sea	Sea inlets and coastal features	-
Coastline	Rock stacks and islets	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
fisheries/aquaculture	-
nature conservation and research	-
tourism/recreation	-
urban/industrial/transport	-
water management	-

For further information about the land use classification please click here.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2022) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Carlingford Lough. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 07/08/2022.