Natura Impact Statement For the Hand-Harvesting of Ascophyllum nodosum in Mulroy Bay candidate Special Area of Conservation, Co. Donegal Produced by AQUAFACT International Services Ltd On behalf of Oilean Glas Teo. Issued 09 September 2013 AQUAFACT INTERNATIONAL SERVICES ltd 12 KILKERRIN park TUAM rd GALWAY city www.aquafact.ie [email protected] tel +353 (0) 91 756812 fax +353 (0) 91 756888 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 1.1. Requirement for an Article 6 Assessment ....................................................................................... 1 1.2. The Aim of this Report ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.3. Background ...................................................................................................................................... 2 2. Appropriate Assessment Process 3 2.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3 2.2. Stages ............................................................................................................................................... 4 2.2.1. Stage 1. Screening for Appropriate Assessment ......................................................................................... 5 2.2.2. Stage 2. Appropriate Assessment ............................................................................................................... 5 2.2.3. Stage 3. Alternative Solutions ..................................................................................................................... 6 2.2.4. Stage 4. Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI)/Derogation ......................................... 6 3. Description of Proposed Activity 6 4. Screening for Appropriate Assessment 10 5. Natura 2000 Sites 20 5.1. Designated Sites of Relevance in the Harvesting Area .................................................................. 20 5.2. Characteristics of the Designated Sites ......................................................................................... 22 5.2.1. Mulroy Bay SAC (IE002159) ...................................................................................................................... 22 5.2.2. Lough Swilly cSAC (IE002287) ................................................................................................................... 24 5.2.3. Leannan River cSAC (IE002176) ................................................................................................................ 27 5.2.4. Cloghernagore Bog and Glenveagh National Park IE002047 ................................................................... 29 5.2.5. Sheephaven cSAC (IE001190) .................................................................................................................... 32 5.2.6. Horn Head and Rinclevan cSAC IE000147 ................................................................................................. 35 5.2.7. Lough Swilly SPA (IE004075) ..................................................................................................................... 37 5.2.8. Lough Fern SPA (IE004060) ....................................................................................................................... 39 5.2.9. Derryveagh and Glendowan Mountains SPA (IE004039) ......................................................................... 41 5.2.10. Greer’s Isle SPA (IE004082) ....................................................................................................................... 42 5.2.11. Horn Head to Fanad Head SPA IE004194 ................................................................................................. 43 5.3. Conservation Objectives ................................................................................................................ 45 6. Description of the Receiving Environment 57 6.1. Environmental Survey .................................................................................................................... 57 6.1.1. Aims .......................................................................................................................................................... 57 6.1.2. Methods and Materials ............................................................................................................................. 58 6.1.3. Results ....................................................................................................................................................... 60 7. Assessment of the Likely Effects 67 7.1. Impacts on Mulroy Bay cSAC (Site Code: IE002159) ..................................................................... 67 7.2. Impacts on Lough Swilly cSAC (Site Code: IE002287) .................................................................... 67 7.3. Impacts on Leannan River cSAC (Site Code: IE002176) ................................................................. 68 7.4. Impacts on Cloghernagore Bog and Glenveagh National Park cSAC (Site Code: IE002047) ......... 68 7.5. Impacts on Sheephaven cSAC (Site Code: IE001190) .................................................................... 68 7.6. Impacts on Horn Head and Rinclevan cSAC (Site Code: IE000147) ............................................... 68 7.7. Impacts on Lough Swilly SPA (Site Code: IE004075) ...................................................................... 69 7.8. Impacts on Lough Fern SPA (Site Code: IE004060) ........................................................................ 69 7.9. Impacts on Derryveagh and Glendowan Mountains SPA (Site Code: IE004039) .......................... 69 7.10. Impacts on Greers Isle (Site Code: IE004082) ................................................................................ 70 7.11. Impacts on Horn Head to Fanad Head SPA (Site Code: IE004194) ................................................ 70 7.12. In Combination Effects ................................................................................................................... 70 8. Mitigation Measures 70 9. Residual Impact 71 10. Conclusion 71 11. References 72 List of Figures Figure 2.1: Stages in the AA process (Source: DEHLG, 2009). .......................................................................................... 5 Figure 3.1: Location of the harvestable area within Mulroy Bay. .................................................................................... 8 Figure 3.2: Ascophyllum nodosum dominated rocky intertidal zone and harvested A. nodosum (cailleadh in Donegal Irish) bundled in nets. ................................................................................................................................................... 9 Figure 4.1: Location of the cSACs within 15km of the harvesting area. ......................................................................... 11 Figure 4.2: Location of the SPAs within 15km of the harvesting area. ........................................................................... 12 Figure 5.1: Location of the relevant cSACs in the vicinity of the harvesting area. .......................................................... 21 Figure 5.2: Location of the relevant SPAs in the vicinity of the harvesting area. ........................................................... 21 Figure 6.1: Survey locations within Mulroy Bay. ........................................................................................................... 59 Figure 6.2: Examples of the quadrats examined. .......................................................................................................... 60 Figure 6.3: Harvestable area within Mulroy Bay. .......................................................................................................... 66 List of Tables Table 4.1: Natura 2000 sites, Qualifying Interests, Potential Impacts and Screening Assessment. ................................ 13 Table 5.1: Natura 2000 sites of relevance with distances to the seaweed harvesting area. .......................................... 20 Table 5.2: Relevant Annex I habitats listed on the Natura 2000 Standard Data Form ................................................... 22 Table 5.3: Mammals listed on Annex II of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC listed on the Natura 2000 Standard Data Form ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Table 5.4: Regularly occuring migratory birds not listed on Annex I of Council directive 79/409/EEC – from the Natura 2000 Standard Data Form...................................................................................................................................................... 23 Table 5.5: Other species of importance – from the Natura 2000 Standard Data Form .................................................. 23 Table 5.6: Relevant Annex I habitats listed on the Natura 2000 Standard Data Form ................................................... 25 Table 5.7: Birds listed on Annex I of Council directive 79/409/EEC ............................................................................... 25 Table 5.8: Regularly occurring Migratory Birds not listed on Annex I of Council directive 79/409/EEC ......................... 25 Table 5.9: Mammals listed on Annex II of Council directive 92/43/EEC ........................................................................