Greater Skellig coast to be marked as area of critical importance to marine conservation

Area home to critically endangered sharks, seabird colonies, and animals threatened with extinction

Aoife O'Mahony, left, campaign manager for Fair Seas and Lucy Hunt, founder of SeaSynergy, launching Ireland's first Mission Blue Hope Spot. Picture: Alan Landers

Ireland has been given its first ever 'Hope Spot' — an area marked to be of critical importance to marine conservation — off the south-west coast.

The greater Skellig coast stretches from Kenmare Bay in Kerry right up to Loop Head in Clare, covering about 7,000 sq m of coastal waters.