Donal Hickey: Welcome protection for seabirds but locals need consulting

The seas off Wexford now become our largest Special Protection Area. The 20 species to be protected at the site include some of our rarest and most threatened birds

A puffin on the Saltee Islands, Wexford. Picture: Vincent Bradley / Fair Seas 

A decision to designate a new Seas Off Wexford Special Protection Area (SPA) has been given a guarded welcome by environmental groups, which are calling for more consultation with coastal communities.

The SPA will cover 305,000 hectares of important waters for a range of seabirds throughout the year — the biggest ever area for protecting these birds in the history of the State.