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Using the Lough

Ramsar Site

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (otherwise known as the Ramsar Convention) is an international convention and sites are designated owing to their waterfowl populations, important plant and animal assemblages, wetland interest or a combination of these.

Strangford Lough satisfies criteria under the international Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat and has been formally listed as a Ramsar site due to the following:

Strangford Lough supports one of the most extensive saltmarsh areas in Northern Ireland and areas of fringing saltmarsh and freshwater habitats support a diversity of wetland plant species.
This site supports an important assemblage of vulnerable and endangered wetland plants and animal species such as a number of marine sponges, marine hydroids, marine mollusc and sea urchins which are restricted to Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland or, in some cases unknown or very rare elsewhere in the British Isles. The mudflats support luxuriant beds of eelgrass; Zostera noltei, Zostera angustifolia, Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima are all present, with the latter widespread but quite local in its distribution. Such extensive 'beds' are rare in the British Isles.
The site supports vast assemblages of internationally important waterfowl, with peak species counts in the winter time of 74876. (5 year peak mean 1998/99-2002/2003)
The site supports species and populations occurring at levels of international importance. Key species regularly supported during the breeding season are: Sandwich tern, Sterna (Thalasseus) sandvicensis sandvicensis, and the Common tern, Sterna hirundo hirundo. Species with peak counts in spring/autumn that qualify the site for Ramsar status are: Light-bellied brent goose, Branta bernicla hrota, Common redshank, Tringa totanus totanus, and Red knot, Calidris canutus islandica. Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna, have peak counts in winter on the site.

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