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Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 2014

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population at site	IBA criteria triggered
Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus	VU	non-breeding	2008-2013	2-10 individuals	B1i
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis	VU	winter	2008-2013	500-3,000 individuals	A1
King Eider Somateria spectabilis	LC	winter	2008-2013	5,000-8,000 individuals	A4i, B1i
Common Eider Somateria mollissima	NT	winter	2008-2013	6,000-8,000 individuals	B1i, B3
Steller's Eider Polysticta stelleri	VU	winter	2009-2013	2,500-3,500 individuals	A1, A4i, B1i, B2
Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca	VU	winter	2008-2013	200-400 individuals	A1, B2
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator	LC	non-breeding	2004-2013	1,000-2,000 individuals	B1i
Yellow-billed Loon Gavia adamsii	NT	winter	2008-2014	5-10 individuals	A1
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima	LC	winter	2008-2014	500-2,000 individuals	B1i, B3
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla	VU	breeding	2012-2013	25,000-30,000 breeding pairs	B1i
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus	LC	winter	2000-2010	1,000-4,000 individuals	B1i
Arctic Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus	LC	breeding	2009-2012	8,000-13,000 breeding pairs	A4i, B1i, B3
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica	VU	breeding	2012-2013	11,000-16,000 breeding pairs	B1ii, B2
Common Murre Uria aalge	LC	breeding	2012-2013	14,000-15,000 breeding pairs	B1ii
A4iii Species group - seabirds	n/a	breeding	2009-2013	58,000-74,000 breeding pairs	A4iii
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	winter	2000-2013	16,000-29,000 individuals	A4iii

Note: The current IUCN Red List category may differ from the category that was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment.

For more information about the IBA criteria, please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	annual & perennial non-timber crops - small-holder farming	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - nomadic grazing	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	marine and freshwater aquaculture - industrial aquaculture	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Biological resource use	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - intentional use: subsistence/sml scale	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Biological resource use	gathering terrestrial plants - intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Biological resource use	hunting & collecting terrestrial animals - intentional use (species being assessed is the target)	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Climate change and severe weather	habitat shifting and alteration	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	storms and floods	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	temperature extremes	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	whole area/population (>90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Energy production and mining	mining and quarrying	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Energy production and mining	oil and gas drilling	likely in short term (within 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Human intrusions and disturbance	work and other activities	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - named species	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	problematic native species/diseases - named species	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Natural system modifications	other ecosystem modifications	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	commercial and industrial development	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	flight paths	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	no or imperceptible deterioration	low
Transportation and service corridors	roads and railroads	happening now	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	shipping lanes	happening now	small area/few individuals (<10%)	slow but significant deterioration	low

Condition of the site (state), by habitat
Habitat	Habitat detail	Reference area (ha)	Actual area (ha)	Habitat quantity (% remaining)	Habitat quality (carrying capacity)	Result
Grassland	Tundra	0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Marine Intertidal		0	0	moderate (70-90%)	moderate (70-90%)	unfavourable
Marine Neritic		0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Condition of the site (state), by species
Scientific name	Common name	Reference population	Actual population	Units	% of population remaining	Result
Polysticta stelleri	Steller's Eider	3000	2000	individuals	67	unfavourable

Conservation actions taken at the site (response)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	No management planning has taken place	Very little or no conservation action taking place	negligible

For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA with IBA (ha)
Varangerbotn	Naturreservat	19	protected area contained by site	118
Storelvosen	Naturreservat	22	protected area contained by site	23
Nesseby	Naturreservat	9	protected area contained by site	75
Komagværstranda	Naturreservat	561	protected area contained by site	656
Hornøya og Reinøya	Naturreservat	158	protected area contained by site	197
Ekkerøya	Naturreservat	67	protected area contained by site	165
Bigganjarga	Naturminne	1	protected area overlaps with site	0
Barvikmyran og Blodskytodden	Naturreservat	2,649	protected area is adjacent to site	0

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Marine Neritic		-
Marine Intertidal		-
Marine Coastal/Supratidal		-
Grassland	Tundra	-
Wetlands (inland)	Blanket bogs, Fens, transition mires and springs, Rivers and streams	-

For further information about the IUCN habitat classification, please click here.

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

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Varangerfjord (including Hornøya and Reinøya). Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/32097 on 07/06/2023.