Data Zone
The site was identified as internationally important for bird conservation in 2004 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting IBA criteria.
Populations meeting IBA criteria ('key species') at the site:| Species | Red List | Season (year/s of estimate) | Size | IBA criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steller's Eider Polysticta stelleri | VU | winter (-) | 250–500 individuals | A1, A4i, B1i, C1 |
| Goosander Mergus merganser | LC | winter (-) | 1,600–2,500 individuals | A4i, B1i, C3 |
| Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata | LC | winter (-) | 1,000 individuals | A4i, B1i, C2 |
| Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus | LC | passage (-) | 2,700–5,700 individuals | A4i, B1i, C2 |
Ideally the conservation status of the IBA will have been checked regularly since the site was first identified in 2004. The most recent assessment (2013) is shown below.
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment | State | Pressure | Response |
| 2013 | very unfavourable | very high | low |
| Whole site assessed? | State assessed by | Accuracy of information | |
| yes | population | unknown | |
| State (condition of the key species' populations) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Actual vs Reference (units) | % remaining | Result | ||
| Steller's Eider Polysticta stelleri | 9 / 2,000 (individuals) | 1 | very unfavourable | ||
| Goosander Mergus merganser | 1,500 / 10,000 (individuals) | 15 | very unfavourable | ||
| Pressure (threats to the key species and/or their habitats) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threat | Timing | Scope | Severity | Result |
| Invasive and other problematic species and genes | happening now | whole population/area (>90%) | moderate deterioration (10–30% in 3 generations) | very high |
| Human intrusions and disturbance | happening now | most of population/area (50–90%) | slow deterioration (1–10% over 3 generations) | high |
| Natural system modifications | likely in short term (within 4 years) | some of population/area (10–49%) | slow deterioration (1–10% over 3 generations) | medium |
| Pollution | likely in long term (beyond 4 years) | few individuals/small area (<10%) | slow deterioration (1–10% over 3 generations) | low |
| Response (conservation actions taken for the key species and/or their habitats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Planning | 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 |
| Year | Protected Area | Designation (management category) | % coverage of IBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | Marine waters along the continental part of Lithuania | Baltic Sea Protected Area (Helcom) (UA) | 21 |
| 1992 | Pajuris | Regional Park (-) | 5 |
| 2005 | Baltijos juros talasologinis draustinis | Gamtinis draustinis (IV) | 22 |
| 2015 | Klaipėda-Ventpilis plynaukštė biosphere polygon | Gamtinis draustinis (VI) | 21 |
| Habitat | % of IBA | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 100 |
| Land use | % of IBA |
|---|---|
| fisheries/aquaculture | 60 |
| nature conservation and research | 40 |
| tourism/recreation | 20 |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Marine waters along the continental part of Lithuania (Lithuania). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/marine-waters-along-the-continental-part-of-lithuania-iba-lithuania on 14/01/2025.