Upper Lough Erne RAMSAR

Upper Lough Erne Lough is situated in County Fermanagh in the west of Northern Ireland. It is a very large and complex freshwater system. A series of flooded drumlins in the course of the River Erne give rise to a complex of islands, bays and many lakes bordered by damp pastures, fens, reedswamp, alder/willow carr and oak woodland.

This Ramsar site includes Upper Lough Erne Special Area for Conservation (SAC) and Upper Lough Erne Special Protection Area (SPA) and its boundary is entirely coincident with the composite boundary of the following Areas of Special Scientific Interest: Corraslough Point, Dernish Island, Finn Floods, Inishroosk, Killymackan Lough, Mill Lough, Upper Lough Erne - Belleisle, Upper Lough Erne - Crom, Upper Lough Erne - Galloon and Upper Lough Erne - Trannish.

It also qualifies under Criterion 1b of the Ramsar Convention as a particularly good representative example of a eutrophic lake and associated swamp, fen and wet grassland.

Under Criterion 1c it is a particularly good representative example of wetland, which plays a substantial hydrological, biological and ecological system role in the natural functioning of a major river basin located in a trans-border position.

Upper Lough Erne also qualifies under Criterion 2a because it supports an appreciable assemblage of rare, vulnerable or endangered species or sub-species of plant and animal.

Plant species in published or draft Irish Red Data Books include, Fen violet Viola, Irish lady's tresses orchid, Pointed stonewort and the moss Fissidens monguillonii. Vertebrate species in the Irish Vertebrate Red Data Book include whiskered bat, shoveler, pochard and Brook lamprey.
Rare or vulnerable invertebrate species include white -clawed crayfish, Lunar hornet moth, a pondskater Limnoporus rufoscutellatus, the water beetles, Donacia aquatica, Donacia bicolora, Gyrinus distinctus, Gyrinus natator, Hydroporus glabriusculus and the carabid Lebia cruxminor.

Under Criterion 2b it qualifies because it is of special value for maintaining the genetic and ecological diversity of Northern Ireland because of the quality and peculiarities of its flora and fauna. A large number of plant and animal species are confined or almost confined to this area within Northern Ireland including most of the rare species listed previously.

The site qualifies under Criterion 3b by regularly supporting substantial numbers of individuals from particular groups of waterfowl which are indicative of wetland values, productivity and diversity. Wintering wildfowl species which occur in at least nationally important numbers include great crested grebe, cormorant, whooper swan, mute swan, tufted duck, wigeon, teal, goldeneye, coot and mallard.

Finally the site qualifies under Criterion 3c by regularly supporting internationally important numbers of wintering whooper swan. The birds using the site form the core of a population of birds which use both the site and the extensive improved agricultural grassland in surrounding areas.