CEREDIGION’S coastline would form part of a new special area of conservation aimed at protecting harbour porpoises under a proposal from Natural Resources Wales.

The West Wales Marine site, which stretches from the Llyn peninsula in north Wales down to Pembrokeshire, is one of six areas being put forward as new marine protected areas to protect a range of species.

The NRW report says that the area is judged as important for the harbour porpoise and that introducing the area of conservation status would help protect the species.

As part of the move, it could lead to potential restrictions on some activities in the site, but the report says it is difficult to say at this stage exactly what action needs to be taken. However, it does say that there are already restrictions on the use of the area by boats.

It says: “The West Wales Marine site has been selected primarily on the basis of its long-term, preferential use by harbour porpoise in contrast to other areas of the UK portion of the Irish Sea.

“The implication is that the site provides good foraging habitat and it may also be used for breeding and calving.

“For that reason, the intent of this objective is to minimise the risk posed by activities within the site to the species viability."

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