The move came during a seminar held last week in The Hague, at which delegates from the nine member states in the Atlantic region, which includes the UK and Ireland, met to finalise their lists of sites which will be awarded SAC status next year.

Northern Ireland will benefit
WWF successfully challenged the sufficiency of the UK's proposed list of SACs and as a result the government was instructed not only to review its proposed sites, but also to designate more. Northern Ireland will benefit from the EC rulings, as more SACs for peat bogs, Atlantic salmon and the marsh fritillary butterfly have to be added. More up to date survey information will also be considered, which should result in additional areas for marine species and habitats. For WWF, the Commission's decision has been hailed as a successful outcome to the organisation's years of campaigning to safeguard endangered species and habitats.

Malachy Campbell, policy officer for WWF Northern Ireland was the UK representative at the seminar. Commenting on the European Commission's decision he said: "This is a major development for nature conservation here in Northern Ireland and across the UK, as a wide range of our most threatened habitats and species will now be afforded even greater protection. WWF Northern Ireland is delighted that more local, internationally important wildlife sites will receive the protection they deserve and we look forward to continued cooperation with the Department for the Environment, in agreeing additions to their current list of SACs."

The UK government has until the end of September to compile a list of additional UK sites. The European Commission has then requested a final list of sites by mid January 2003 so that SAC status can be awarded in March 2003.