Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 October 2023
315. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his attention has been drawn to the decline in marine life and water quality in Lough Hyne; if a dedicated conservation management plan has been put in place for the Lough Hyne marine nature reserve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44764/23]
View answerLough Hyne is a Nature Reserve established under the Nature Reserve (Lough Hyne) Regulations S.I. No. 207 of 1981. Lough Hyne is also part of the wider Lough Hyne Nature Reserve and Environs Special Area of Conservation (SAC).The European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 S. I. No. 477 of 2011, regulate activities that could potentially impact on the Lough Hyne Nature Reserve and Environs SAC, in order to protect its biodiversity. These regulations are implemented by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department who also carry out monitoring activities, including expert scientific assessment.The NPWS is aware of issues relating to the decline in water quality at Lough Hyne and eutrophication impacting on its biodiversity. Research indicates that the greatest impact on the ecological functioning of Lough Hyne is as a result of nutrients which enter the lough from the open sea rather than from the immediate catchment and are therefore difficult to control. NPWS is supporting further urgent research on these impacts and the site’s biodiversity.In line with NPWS site management policies generally, dedicated Site Specific Conservation Objectives for Lough Hyne have been developed by NPWS and are published on the NPWS www.npws.ie/protected-sites. Day to day management of site is carried out under the framework of the legislation detailed above and implemented by qualified and experienced NPWS staff.
