River Foyle and Tributaries

General site character

• Tidal rivers, Estuaries, Mud flats, Sand flats, Lagoons (including saltwork basins) (38.2%)
  
• Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (31.6%)
  
• Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (7.3%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (7.9%)
  
• Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (4.5%)
  
• Improved grassland (3%)
  
• Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (5.8%)
  
• Coniferous woodland (0.9%)
  
• Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (0.8%)
  

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• 3260 Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation

  Species occurrence description not yet available.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

• Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• 1106 Atlantic salmon Salmo salar

  The River Foyle and Tributaries is a large, cross-border river in the north-west of Britain and Ireland. The river is notable for the physical diversity and naturalness of the banks and channels, especially in the upper reaches, and the richness and naturalness of its plant and animal communities.

   

  The river has the largest population of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in Northern Ireland, with around 15% of the estimated spawning numbers. The majority of the salmon returning are grilse (single wintering salmon), with a smaller but important number of spring salmon (multi-wintering salmon) also occurring. Research has indicated that individual sub-catchments within the system support genetically distinct salmon populations.

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

• 1355 Otter Lutra lutra