To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail (i) the nature and location of the blue carbon habitats identified in the East Londonderry constituency; (ii) the health of these habitats, compared to previous years; and (iii) what protection measures are being considered in order to protect them.

The coastal area of the East Londonderry constituency is important for blue carbon habitats. There are extensive intertidal seagrass beds extending from the City of Derry airport to Bellarena. The extent is 218 hectares and the condition of the seagrass beds was assessed in 2014, 2017 and 2018 as being ‘High status’, which indicates there has been no detected change in abundance or extent due to anthropogenic activities. A survey was undertaken in 2021 and an updated assessment will be published later this year.

Lough Foyle also hosts important saltmarsh habitats in the Ballykelly area and the Roe estuary. The extent is 62 hectares and was assessed in 2004, 2010 and 2016 as being in ‘unfavourable condition’ due to the presence of the invasive species Spartina.

There are subtidal seagrass beds in the Skerries area off Portrush that extend to approximately 10 hectares. Surveys of the area undertaken in 2021 indicate the seagrass beds are in a healthy condition. There is no specific assessment of these seagrass beds because they are a component of the sandbank feature of Skerries and Causeway SAC. The sandbanks are in ‘favourable condition’.

Steps have already been taken to develop protection measures for blue carbon habitats. This includes developing fishing regulations to provide protection for the seagrass beds located within the Skerries and Causeway Special Area of Conversation. The Department has also been undertaking Spartina control measures in Lough Foyle and other saltmarsh areas in Northern Ireland. However the condition of saltmarsh in Lough Foyle has not improved despite these efforts and therefore the Spartina control programme will need to be reviewed.

To help to protect and restore blue carbon habitats, I recently announced the development of a blue carbon action plan for Northern Ireland and this will include the co-development of protection measures through stakeholder focus groups.