Scientific and Technical support for progressing the designation of marine Special Protection Areas under Directive 2009/147/EC

. To date, terrestrial, freshwater and intertidal habitats constitute the majority of the habitats within Ireland’s SPA Network. Focus has now shifted to the marine environment to assess and identify further marine areas to go forward for classification as SPAs. In recent years two sites, North-west

Irish Sea cSPA and Seas off Wexford cSPA, have been notified. The designation of further marine SPAs involves several steps including the compilation of various evidence bases, the production of draft maps and other relevant documentation