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

STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS. S.I. No. 355 of 2018 ———————— EUROPEAN UNION ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES (FRESHWATER PEARL MUSSEL) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2018 2 [355] S.I. No. 355 of 2018 EUROPEAN UNION ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES (FRESHWATER PEARL MUSSEL) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2018 I, JOSEPHA MADIGAN, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the European Com munities Act 1972 (No. 27 of 1972) and for the purpose of giving further effect to Council Directive 2006/11/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 February 2006, Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 19921 and Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000, hereby make the following regulations: PART 1 PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL Citation and construction 1. (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 2. “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 3. The First Schedule to these Regulations is substituted for the First Schedule of the Principal Regulations. 1OJ No. L206, 22.07.1992, P. 7 Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in “Iris Oifigiúil” of 18th September, 2018. [355] 3 FIRST SCHEDULE These Regulations apply to the habitats of the freshwater pearl mussel popu lations 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 SAC Site Code SAC Site Name Rivers and lakes mussel containing population2 Margaritifera (list not exhaustive) 1 Bandon 002171 Bandon River Bandon & Caha cSAC 2 Aughavaud 002162 River Barrow Aughavaud (Barrow) and River Nore cSAC 3 Ballymurphy 002162 River Barrow Ballymurphy (Barrow) and River Nore cSAC 4 Mountain 002162 River Barrow Mountain, (Barrow) and River Nore Aughnabrisky cSAC 5 Bundorragha 001932 Mweelrea/ Bundorragha Shreefry/ Erriff Complex cSAC 6 Caragh 000365 Killarney Caragh, National Park, Owenroe, Macgillycuddy’s Meelagh, Reeks and Caraghbeg, Caragh River Glashawee, Catchment cSAC Lough Beg Stream, Lough Acoose, Cloon Lough 7 Clady 000140 Fawnboy Bog/ Clady Lough Nacung cSAC 8 Owenriff 000297 Lough Corrib Owenriff, (Corrib) cSAC Glengawbeg 9 Currane 000365 Killarney Capall, National Park, Cummeragh Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment cSAC 10 Dawros 002031 The Twelve Dawros Bens/ Garraun Complex cSAC 11 Eske 000163 Lough Eske and Eske Ardnamona Wood cSAC 2Population named after river of highest stream-order that contains mussels. 4 [355] Freshwater pearl SAC Site Code SAC Site Name Rivers and lakes mussel containing population2 Margaritifera (list not exhaustive) 12 Kerry Blackwater 002173 & 000365 Blackwater River Blackwater, (Kerry) cSAC & Kealduff, Killarney Derreendarragh National Park, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment cSAC 13 Gearhameen 000365 Killarney Gearhameen & (Laune) National Park, Owenreagh Macgillycuddy’s Reeks and Caragh River Catchment cSAC 14 Glaskeelan 002047 Cloghernagore Glaskeelan (Leannan) Bog and Glenveagh National Park cSAC 15 Leannan 002176 Leannan River Leannan cSAC 16 Allow (Munster 002170 Blackwater River Allow Blackwater) (Cork/Waterford) cSAC 17 Licky 002170 Blackwater River Licky (Cork/Waterford) cSAC 18 Newport 002144 Newport River Newport cSAC 19 Nore 002162 River Barrow Nore and River Nore cSAC 20 Owencarrow 002047 Cloghernagore Owencarrow Bog and Glenveagh National Park cSAC 21 Owenea 000197 West of Owenea Ardara/Maas Road cSAC 22 Owenmore 000375 Mount Brandon Owenmore cSAC 23 Ownagappul 001879 Glanmore Bog Ownagappul & cSAC Barrees 24 Cloon (Shannon 002165 Lower River Cloon Estuary) Shannon cSAC 25 Derreen (Slaney) 000781 Slaney River Derreen Valley cSAC 26 Clodiagh (Suir) 002137 Lower River Suir Clodiagh cSAC [355] 5 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. 6 [355] 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. [355] 7 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 favour able 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 Regu lations 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. BAILE ÁTHA CLIATH ARNA FHOILSIÚ AG OIFIG AN tSOLÁTHAIR Le ceannach díreach ó FOILSEACHÁIN RIALTAIS, 52 FAICHE STIABHNA, BAILE ÁTHA CLIATH 2 (Teil: 01 - 6476834 nó 1890 213434; Fax: 01 - 6476843) nó trí aon díoltóir leabhar. —————— DUBLIN PUBLISHED BY THE STATIONERY OFFICE To be purchased from GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS, 52 ST. STEPHEN'S GREEN, DUBLIN 2. (Tel: 01 - 6476834 or 1890 213434; Fax: 01 - 6476843) or through any bookseller. —————— €2.54 Wt. (B33648). 285. 9/18. Essentra. Gr 30-15.