Name of project or plan: Dredging of up to 20,000 tonnes of sediments, mainly sand, annually over a 5 -year period at Magheraroarty Pier and associated beach nourishment at Dooey strand, Co Donegal (MS51/15693)

Name and location of Natura 2000 site: Ballyness Bay SAC (Site Code 001090) and Falcarragh to Meenlaragh SPA (Site Code 004149). Ballyness Bay contains several important coastal habitats listed in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive including the priority habitat, fixed dune. The site is also an important wildfowl site. The bay is almost completely cut off from the open sea by the two large sand dune covered spits:

Dooey Strand

Drumnatinny Beach

Ballyness Bay is situated in north-west Donegal adjacent to the towns of Gortahork and Falcarragh. Ballyness Bay is a large and very shallow estuarine complex, with extensive areas of sand flats which are exposed at low tide. The intertidal sand flats often have a rich macro invertebrate fauna, with notable populations of Lugworm (Arenicola marina) and Common Cockle (Cardium edule). Eelgrass (Zostera sp.) is also present. The bay is almost completely cut off from the open sea by two large sand-dune covered spits. The Dooey sand dunes are highly dynamic and have grown to a considerable height near the tip of the spit - they contain what is probably the largest unvegetated sand dune in the country. The succession of vegetation types across the spit and the topographical features make this area of special interest.

Of particular importance are the fixed dunes, a priority habitat on Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive, which occur along the length of the Dooey sand spit. They are found east of a large band of mobile Marram dunes.

Dunes dominated by Marram (Ammophila arenaria) are well developed. Also occurring are embryonic dunes, with species such as Lyme Grass (Leymus arenarius), Sea Couch (Elymus farctus) and Sea Rocket (Cakile maritima).

The dunes at Drumatinny by contrast are quite low but also have areas of fixed dunes well as sandy, machair-type grassland. Humid dune slacks, with species such as Creeping Willow (Salix repens) and Jointed Rush (Juncus articulatus), are scattered through the dunes at Drumatinny. Areas of saltmarsh, dry and wet grassland and heath add further diversity to the site.

This site is of importance for waterfowl. Species counts (all average peaks over 4 seasons, 1994/95 to 1996/97) include Ringed Plover (110), Brent Goose (85), Redbreasted

Merganser (12), Wigeon (47), Oystercatcher (87), Curlew (55), Sanderling (47) and Greenshank (7). The populations of Ringed Plover and Sanderling are of national importance. Also occurring is Golden Plover (165, same count period), a species listed on Annex I of the EU Birds Directive. Large numbers of Lapwing have been noted sheltering during stormy weather in dune slacks near Drumatinny. Chough another species listed on Annex I of the EU Birds Directive, have been noted feeding near Binavea Strand.

Land use within the bay comprises fishing and sailing on a small scale; the surrounding dunes and grassland are grazed by sheep and cattle.

Ballyness Bay contains several important coastal habitats listed on Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive, including the priority habitat fixed dunes. The site is also an important wildfowl site.

The Conservation Objectives for the Ballyness Bay SAC are1

To maintain or restore the favourable conservation condition of the Annex I habitat(s) and/or the Annex II species for which the SAC has been selected:  Vertigo geyeri  Estuaries  Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide  Embryonic shifting dunes  Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria ("white dunes")  Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation ("grey dunes")  Humid dune slacks

Falcarragh to Meenlaragh SPA is located on the eastern and western sides of Ballyness Bay on the north-west coast of Co. Donegal. This large site follows the coastline from Falcarragh to Meenlaragh and encompasses three areas of mixed agricultural grassland. The site is a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the E.U. Birds Directive, of special conservation interest for the following species: Corncrake. Falcarragh to Meenlaragh SPA supports a breeding population of Corncrake (7 pairs - five year mean peak between 2003 and 2007, based on records of calling males). Falcarragh to Meenlaragh SPA is one of a suite of sites along the western seaboard that is regularly utilised by nationally important numbers of breeding Corncrake. Corncrake is listed on the 2010 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. This is due to population and range declines of more than 50% in the last 25 years across significant parts of its range. Falcarragh to Meenlaragh SPA is of high ornithological importance as it supports a nationally important population of Corncrake, a globally threatened species. Corncrake is also listed in Annex I of the E.U. Birds Directive.

The Conservation Objectives2 for the Falcarragh to Meenlaragh SPA are

To maintain or restore the favourable conservation condition of the bird species listed as Special

1 NPWS (2011) Conservation objectives for Ballyness Bay SAC [001090]. Generic Version 3.0. Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht. 2 NPWS (2011) Conservation objectives for Falcarragh to Meenlaragh SPA [004149]. Generic Version 4.0. Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht Conservation Interests for this SPA:

 Corncrake (Breeding)

Description of the project or plan The proposed works comprise:  Dredging of Magheroarty Harbour  Beach Nourishment on Dooey Strand It is proposed to undertake annual maintenance dredging of Magheraroarty Harbour in order to maintain navigable depths at -2.5m for the continued use of the harbour by the Tory Island ferry, commercial fishing boats and charter boats in the local area. It is anticipated that a maximum of 20,000 tonnes annually would be dredged. The works also comprise the beneficial reuse of the dredged material for beach nourishment. This will be carried out by the placement of the material, which is clean sand, from the area of accretion at Magheraroarty Harbour to an intertidal area on Dooey strand which suffers erosion from wave and wind action and longshore drift. The area of the Harbour to be dredged ,incorporating turning circle and berthing pockets is indicated on Drawing No 121063/SK/03 and covers an area of app 8500m2(0.85ha). The location for the beach nourishment is on Dooey Strand and is illustrated on Drawing No 121063/SK/04, incorporating an intertidal area of app 7.3ha.

Two methods for undertaking the dredging and beach nourishment scheme have been proposed:

Method 1 Land Based The removal of sand from harbour by 360’’ tracked excavator, loaded onto dump trucks and transported along foreshore during low and mid tide to the beach nourishment site. The material will be spread as evenly as possible to avoid any high points. Previous campaigns have demonstrated that the deposited sand is naturally levelled by tidal action with material dispersing on the incoming and outgoing tides. Walkers are channelled along the upper side of the beach by use of physical barriers. The dump trucks have a designated route along the foreshore which is marked out and the sand dunes are unaffected by the works.

Method 2 Marine Based The removal of sand from the harbour by long reach excavator on a barge and transport of the material to the beach nourishment site on Dooey strand during high tide and either pumped or placed in the intertidal zone.

Method 1 was used previously but depending on future Contractor appointments Method 2 may also be used which would eliminate the need for dump trucks traversing the foreshore at low tides.

Is the project or plan directly Yes-NPWS have advised that any material removed connected with or necessary to the from the system must be deposited in an area that management of the site (provide will maintain the natural processes occurring along the coastline, and that any removal of material from details)? this system may result in detrimental irreversible alterations to the natural coastal processes, thus causing instability to the extensive sand dunes located along Dooey Strand. The beach nourishment activities will replenish eroding sand in the intertidal zone at a point approximately midway along Dooey Strand. The beach nourishment is essential in sustaining the integrity of the Ballyness Bay SAC. Any permanent removal of material from the SAC will have a detrimental effect on the Natura 2000 site as a whole.

Are there other projects or plans Donegal Co Co have plans (at feasibility that together with the project or plan study/design stage presently) to provide a being assessed could affect the site breakwater at Mageraroarty Pier in order to reduce (provide details)? sedimentation within Magheraroarty Harbour. The cumulative impact of this scheme on the SAC will be evaluated as part of the assessment process for that project which is some years off development at this stage There are no other developments in planning that would have a cumulative effect.

Describe how the project or plan The works could potentially; (alone or in combination) is likely to affect the Natura 2000 site.  introduce pollutants(including accidental spillages) into the water column during the loading, transportation and disposal activities  Remove sub tidal benthic species and communities through dredging of the material from the harbour  Increase suspended solids in suspension which when settling may blanket sub tidal communities  Increase underwater noise during loading operations and increase noise levels during transportation and disposal operations with resultant potential disturbance and displacement of bird species  Disturb/damage habitats through transportation of the material to Dooey Strand and disposal of the material at the strand.

Explain why these effects are not During the dredging it is likely there will be considered significant. disturbance to the sea bed, however as the material is recently deposited sand ,it is unlikely that there are any significant sub tidal benthic communities or key habitats present ,as dredging has been undertaken annually under licence since 2008 (DAFF Loading and Dumping Permit No 389) .Transportation of the material from Magheraroarty harbour to the nourishment site at Dooey strand is required however the works have been designed to eliminate any impact on the qualifying features of the Natura 2000 site( i.e. walkers channelled along upper side of beach, dump trucks along designated route along foreshore such that sand dunes are unaffected by the works and if the marine based disposal operation is chosen this will further minimise any potential impact to the sand dunes)

The licence application areas on the foreshore are 0.85ha (dredging) and 7.3ha (beach nourishment area).The proposed works will result in a very small area of interaction with the seabed of the bay. Any impacts will be minor, localised and temporary, due to the small scale nature and timing of the works The work sites and all associated activity will be located within the Ballyness Bay SAC and a minimum of 125m m from boundary of the Falcaragh to Meenlaragh SPA.

Based on the qualifying features of the Falcaragh to Meenlaragh SPA(Corncrake) and the location and timing of the works( (end of January / early February 2014) in relation to breeding it is considered that there will be no impact on this SPA

Any noise and visual disturbance arising from the works will be localised and temporary and will not have a lasting effect on the Ballyness Bay SAC. There will be no significant habitat loss and no significant habitat fragmentation and there is no potential for significant habitat disruption or disturbance from noise. It is therefore considered unlikely that the proposed works will have any impact on key relationships that define the structure and function of the Ballyness Bay SAC Natura 2000 site, and that indeed the proposed beach nourishment will assist in sustaining the qualifying habitats and achieving the conservation objectives of the Ballyness Bay Natura 2000site.

On the basis of the above it is it is concluded that there are not likely to be significant effects as a result of the maintenance dredging at Magheraroarty Harbour and associated beach nourishment at Dooey Strand on the Conservation Objectives of either the Ballyness Bay SAC or the Falcarragh to Meenlaragh SPA

Who carried out the assessment? Marine Institute, on behalf of the MLVC, 20 March 2014