S.I. No. 355/2018 - European Union Environmental Objectives (Freshwater Pearl Mussel) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

(1)These Regulations may be cited as the European Union Environmental Objectives (Freshwater Pearl Mussel) (Amendment) Regulations 2018.

(2)These Regulations and European Communities Environmental Objectives (Freshwater Pearl Mussel) Regulations 2009 ( S.I. No. 296 of 2009 ) may be cited together as the European Union Environmental Objectives (Freshwater Pearl Mussel) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 to 2018 and shall be construed together as one. Interpretation

1. “Principal Regulations” means the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Freshwater Pearl Mussel) Regulations 2009 ( S.I. No. 296 of 2009 ). PART 2 AMENDMENTS Amendments to the Regulations of 2009
2. The First Schedule to these Regulations is substituted for the First Schedule of the Principal Regulations. FIRST SCHEDULE These Regulations apply to the habitats of the freshwater pearl mussel populations named hereunder that are within the boundaries of a site notified in a candidate list of European sites under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 ( S.I. No. 477 of 2011 ), or designated as a Special Area of Conservation under Regulations made in accordance with section 3 of the European Communities Act 1972 for the purpose of Article 4

(4)of the EU Habitats Directive. Freshwater pearl mussel population2 SAC Site Code SAC Site Name Rivers and lakes containing Margaritifera (list not exhaustive) 1 Bandon 002171 Bandon River cSAC Bandon & Caha 2 Aughavaud (Barrow) 002162 River Barrow and River Nore cSAC Aughavaud 3 Ballymurphy (Barrow) 002162 River Barrow and River Nore cSAC Ballymurphy 4 Mountain (Barrow) 002162 River Barrow and River Nore cSAC Mountain, Aughnabrisky 5 Bundorragha 001932 Mweelrea/ Shreefry/ Erriff Complex cSAC Bundorragha 6 Caragh 000365 Killarney National Park, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment cSAC Caragh, Owenroe, Meelagh, Caraghbeg, Glashawee, Lough Beg Stream, Lough Acoose, Cloon Lough 7 Clady 000140 Fawnboy Bog/ Lough Nacung cSAC Clady 8 Owenriff (Corrib) 000297 Lough Corrib cSAC Owenriff, Glengawbeg 9 Currane 000365 Killarney National Park, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment cSAC Capall, Cummeragh 10 Dawros 002031 The Twelve Bens/ Garraun Complex cSAC Dawros 11 Eske 000163 Lough Eske and Ardnamona Wood cSAC Eske 12 Kerry Blackwater 002173 & 000365 Blackwater River (Kerry) cSAC & Killarney National Park, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment cSAC Blackwater, Kealduff, Derreendarragh 13 Gearhameen (Laune) 000365 Killarney National Park, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment cSAC Gearhameen & Owenreagh 14 Glaskeelan (Leannan) 002047 Cloghernagore Bog and Glenveagh National Park cSAC Glaskeelan 15 Leannan 002176 Leannan River cSAC Leannan 16 Allow (Munster Blackwater) 002170 Blackwater River (Cork/Waterford) cSAC Allow 17 Licky 002170 Blackwater River (Cork/Waterford) cSAC Licky 18 Newport 002144 Newport River cSAC Newport 19 Nore 002162 River Barrow and River Nore cSAC Nore 20 Owencarrow 002047 Cloghernagore Bog and Glenveagh National Park cSAC Owencarrow 21 Owenea 000197 West of Ardara/Maas Road cSAC Owenea 22 Owenmore 000375 Mount Brandon cSAC Owenmore 23 Ownagappul 001879 Glanmore Bog cSAC Ownagappul & Barrees 24 Cloon (Shannon Estuary) 002165 Lower River Shannon cSAC Cloon 25 Derreen (Slaney) 000781 Slaney River Valley cSAC Derreen 26 Clodiagh (Suir) 002137 Lower River Suir cSAC Clodiagh Margaritifera SACs Subcatchment Maps – October 2016 Map of the catchments of the specified freshwater pearl mussel populations. Catchments were delineated to the lowermost mussel contained within the boundaries of a site notified in a candidate list of European sites, or designated as a Special Conservation Area. GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. 4 September 2018. JOSEPHA MADIGAN, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.) The purpose of the Regulations of 2009 is ‘to support the achievement of favourable conservation status for freshwater pearl mussels’ and to that end they ‘set environmental quality objectives for the habitats of the freshwater pearl mussel in rivers named in the First Schedule to those Regulations. The subsequent ‘Strategy for Conservation of the Freshwater Pearl Mussel in Ireland’ (September, 2011) set out a prioritised approach to the implementation of measures to conserve the species. The Strategy document recognised that it would be very unlikely that measures to restore the mussel population in the Munster Blackwater River would be effective: it has a very large catchment area but just 0.08% of the national pearl mussel population. In line with scientific advice, the conservation objectives for the Blackwater Special Area of Conservation are to be amended to remove the pearl mussel as a qualifying interest in the main channel of the river, though retaining it for its tributaries named in the Schedule: the Allow and Licky. The European Union Environmental Objectives (Freshwater Pearl Mussel) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 give effect to this change, omitting the Munster Blackwater main channel from the list of named habitats to the which the Regulations apply, by means of substituting the First Schedule to the Regulations of 2009 with the enclosed revised Schedule. For more detailed maps than those contained in the Schedule, or for greater detail on boundary delineation, contact should be made with the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht or by viewing the relevant text or map details on www.npws.ie. 1 OJ No. L206, 22.07.1992, P. 7 2Population named after river of highest stream-order that contains mussels. Privacy Statement Accessibility European Legislation Identifier (PDF) Open Data License Ráiteas Príobháideachais Inrochtaineacht Aitheantóir Eorpach Reachtaíochta (ELI) Ceadúnas Sonraí Oscailte Liosta Fianán © Government of Ireland. Oireachtas Copyright Material is reproduced with the permission of the Houses of the Oireachtas © Rialtas na hÉireann. Atáirgtear ábhar faoi Chóipcheart le cead ó Thithe an Oireachtais