Coastal Lagoons are identified in Annex I of the Habitats Directive as a ‘Priority

Habitat’ and therefore in need of special protection. Within Ireland there are

25 Special Areas of Conservation which have Coastal Lagoons (1150) as

a qualifying interest. Under Article 11 of the Habitats Directive, surveillance of the

conservation status of Annex I habitats is required and under Article 17 each

member state is obliged to report on this status to the European Commission

every six years. Under the Water Framework Directive lagoons are included as

coastal and transitional waters and they must be assessed to provide ecological

status. See RFT for further details.