Wildlife plan angers land owners
The harbour has been selected for the designation on ecological and ornithological grounds, according to the Department of the Environment.
This is to comply with an EU Birds Directive which aims to conserve wild birds and means Castlemaine Harbour will be recognised as an internationally important site for birds, fish and rare plants.
The scenic area, taking in parts of the Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas, extends from Annascaul to Kells, and includes Blue Flag beaches and fragile sand dunes at Inch and Rossbeigh.
It also takes in parts of the River Maine and River Laune catchments which are important salmon and trout fisheries.
Local Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Cahill warns the move would have ‘huge implications’ for land owners as it would limit their activities.
“If the area becomes an SPA people won’t be able to reclaim land for agricultural purposes, change water courses, plant forestry, or undertake a number of other works, without getting approval from the Department of the Environment,” he said.
There would also be consequences for the fishing industry and, at present, fishermen in the Cromane area were not allowed take mussel seed from Castlemaine Harbour, Mr Cahill added.
He also said there would be implications for people seeking to build one-off houses, and any hopes of getting a golf links for the Inch area would be ‘blown out of the water completely’ if the designation went ahead.
“To me, it looks as if there was just a line drawn on a map,” he remarked.
Mr Cahill said he will be raising the issue at the next meeting of Kerry County Council.
According to the department, however, the areas contains priority dunes, wetlands, mudflats and salt meadows, with Inch having one of the best intact dune systems in the country.
It also said Castlemaine Harbour is a very important site for wintering wildfowl and Brent goose, with populations of national importance of up to 16 species of birds, including cormorants, shelduck, wigeon, dunlin, redshank and golden plover.
The area is also of major ecological importance, with coastal habitats of excellent quality, the department pointed out.
The protected natterjack toad, found in Dooks golf links, is one of the rare animals in the area.
People affected by the proposal have been invited to make submissions to the Department of the Environment prior to November 3.
