NEW MARINE DESIGNATION FOR WEST COAST

Date Published: 08-Dec-2012

A new marine site on the West Connacht Coast has been proposed for designation.

It's part of a nationwide government initiative to protect marine habitats and species listed on the 1992 EU Habitats Directive.

Alan Murphy reports...

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The West Connacht Coast site has been proposed as one of six new Special Areas of Conservation.

It'll compose two new inshore areas and aims to protect Bottlenose Dolphin.

It's after previous surveys conducted by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, indicate dolphins and their juveniles utilise a network of areas hugging the coastline in the region.

The Department is currently co-funding a research programme to further understand the ecology of the species at the location.