Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 1

Written Answers. - Wildlife Sanctuary.

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

871 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands when a survey of wildlife was last carried out on the wildlife sanctuary at Lough Carra in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1425/02]

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

872 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will provide information concerning the wildlife sanc tuary at Lough Carra, County Mayo (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1426/02]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 871 and 872 together.

Lough Carra is designated as a special area of protection, SPA, under the EU Birds Directive, 1979, and also as part of a candidate special area of conservation, cSAC, under the EU Habitats Directive, 1992. Dúchas, the heritage service of my Department, does not have information on wildlife numbers at Lough Carra in the precise form requested by the Deputy. Because of the importance of Ireland's wetlands for many species of birds which migrate here for the winter months, the main emphasis in counting wetland birds is on winter counts, rather than numbers in the breeding season.

The main source of information regarding trends in numbers and distribution of waterbirds in Ireland is the Irish wetland bird survey – I-WeBS – project, which is designed to collect and publish data on winter waterbird counts. Dúchas is a partner in the I-WeBS project along with BirdWatch Ireland and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. Each of the partners contributes data under the project, which is then co-ordinated and tabulated for publication. I enclose a copy of the latest available site specific I-WeBS information, which relates to the years 1997 to 1999. Dúchas does not have specific data on the number of breeding pairs of mink in the sanctuary.

Counts for bird species found in significant numbers and notable bird species for Lough Carra and Lough Mask:

Species	Peak Mean1995/96 – 1997/98†	Maximum1995/96 –1997/98	National importance threshold (1%)
Shoveler (Anas clypeata)	51 (L. Carra)	66 (Jan. '96)	40
Tufted Duck(Aythya fuligula)	227 (L. Carra)460 (L. Mask)	438 (Jan. '95)684 (Jan. '96)	300
Gadwall (Anas strepera)	14 (L. Carra)	30 (Jan. '98)	20
Mallard(Anas platyrhynchos)	232 (L. Carra)89 (L. Mask)	409 (Jan. '95)150 (Sep. '96)	500
Goldeneye(Bucephala clangula)	64 (L. Carra) 92 (L. Mask)	88 (Jan. '95)124 (Jan. '97)	100
Whooper Swan*(Cygnus Cygnus)	67 (L. Mask)	115 (Jan. '97)	100
Greenland White-fronted Goose* (Anser albifrons flavirostris)	15 (L. Mask)	62 (L. Mask-1996-97 only)	140
Red-breasted Merganser(Mergus serrator)	11 (L. Carra)12 (L. Mask)	12 (Jan. '97)26 (Sep. '96)	25
Pochard(Aythya ferina)	48 (L. Carra)77 (L. Mask)	56 (Jan. '97)142 (Jan. '97)	350
Golden Plover*(Pluvialis apricaria)	6 (L. Carra)	25 (L. Carra-1997/'98)14 (L. Mask-1996-97)	1,500

†Refers to the mean of the peak monthly counts for each year.

*Refers of EU (Birds Directive) Annex I species.