SD Indicators for Coasts

Published 6th October 2011

First Sustainable Development Indicators for the Northern Ireland coastal zone published

The Northern Ireland Coastal Zone Indicators of Sustainable Development, 1997-2007 report has been published today.

The report brings together, for the first time, a range of indicators which can be used to monitor progress towards achieving the goals for coastal sustainability within Northern Ireland. Seven goals for coastal sustainability have been identified, each underpinned by its own set of indicators.

The key points from the report are:

Goal 1: To control as appropriate further development of the undeveloped coast
Goal 1: To control as appropriate further development of the undeveloped coast

From 2003 to 2007 the coastal zone population has accounted for just over a quarter of Northern Ireland's population. The number of dwellings completed annually within settlements in the coastal zone, between 1999/00 and 2006/07, has reduced by 17%; however it has not been a consistent trend, with increases experienced in 2001/02, 2003/04 and most recently in 2006/07. In 2007 the traffic flow in the coastal zone, at selected monitoring sites, was estimated to have increased by around 5% compared to the 2000 level.The number of people attending selected visitor attractions within the coastal zone has increased by just over a third between 2001 and 2007.

Goal 2: To protect, enhance and celebrate natural and cultural diversity

At March 2008 approximately 76% of the features within coastal Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) were in favourable or recovering condition; compared to just over two-thirds of features across all ASSIs within Northern Ireland. The commercial salmon catch reduced by 80% over the ten year period 1997 to 2007. The reduction in the numbers of salmon caught post 2001 can mainly be attributed to reduced fishing effort resulting from the Commercial Salmon Fishermen's Voluntary Buy-out scheme.

Goal 3: To promote and support a dynamic and sustainable coastal community

In 2007, the total number of employee jobs in the coastal zone was just over 164,000; an increase of just over 9% on the 1999 level. Northern Ireland experienced a larger increase of almost 14% in employee jobs over the same period, increasing to around 742,000 in 2007. In the coastal zone the largest increase has been in part-time jobs, with an increase of 20% between 1999 and 2007; whereas full-time jobs increased by 5% in the same period. Northern Ireland saw a similar increase in part-time employee jobs; however the increase in full-time jobs was higher than that for the coastal zone, at just over 10%. At September 2007, there were approximately 5,300 people unemployed within the coastal zone, a decrease of almost two thirds on the 1997 level. Northern Ireland also experienced a similar decrease in unemployment over the same period falling to almost 23,500 at September 2007. The number of domestic sea passengers through Northern Ireland's ports has reduced by approximately 14% over the period 1998 to 2007; over this same period the total tonnage of goods through Northern Ireland ports has increased by just over 10% to 23.9 million tonnes.

Goal 4: To ensure that beaches are clean and that coastal waters are unpolluted

In 2000, Northern Ireland achieved 100% compliance standards for bathing waters; in 2007 compliance was approximately 91%, with two beaches (out of 23 monitored) failing to meet the mandatory standards. Almost half of marine water bodies around Northern Irelands shores in 2008 were classified as high or good, with the remainder being classified as 'moderate'. Compliance levels of coastal waste water treatment works fell from 65% in 2001, to 48% in 2003; by 2007 the compliance levels had reached 76%.

Goal 5: To reduce social exclusion and promote social cohesion in coastal communities

Between 2002/03 and 2007/08 there was no real change in the proportion of 'poor' households within the coastal zone (21%), the non-coastal zone (24%) and across Northern Ireland as a whole (23%). In 2002/03 coastal households had the highest estimated average weekly income. By 2007/08 this income differential had widened, with coastal households still earning the highest average weekly income at 461, compared to 415 for all Northern Ireland households and 396 for non-coastal zone households.

Goal 6: To use natural resources wisely

Since 2002 there has been a reduction in stock estimates for cod, falling by 73% by 2007. From 2001 onwards stock estimates for sole also experienced a decline, dropping by almost 60% by 2007. In contrast between 2000 and 2007 stock estimates for plaice increased by almost 75%. Herring stock is much higher than that for cod, plaice and sole. Stock estimates for herring have fluctuated over the reported period, but experienced just over a threefold increase between 2006 and 2007. This increase in 2006 was driven by a particularly good recruitment event (fish reaching a certain size or reproductive stage) observed in 2005, leading to an increase in stock in 2007 as the fish begin to mature. In 2007, there were 17,790 tonnes of fish landed into Northern Ireland by UK vessels with a value of 19.3 million. Compared with 2006 this represents an increase of 1% in quantity but a 4% decrease in value. The level of public awareness of sustainable development has increased; 36% of respondents had heard of sustainable development in 2007/08, an increase of 8 percentage points on the level in 2003/04.

Goal 7: To recognise the threat to coastal zones posed by climate change and to ensure appropriate and ecologically responsible coastal protection

There has been a change from a falling trend in relative sea level that characterised the first half of the twentieth century (1910-1957) to a near stationary average sea-level in the latter half. Forecasts suggest a move towards a rising average sea-level trend in the coming decades. Coastal defences on Northern Ireland's coastline are both natural and man-made structures and in 2006 it was estimated that almost a third were man-made, with the remaining being natural coastal defences. Provisional flood risk measures have been developed taking a long term view over many hundreds of years. The average annual number of people potentially exposed to all flood risk, on this long term basis, is estimated at 16,800, with just over one in ten of these specifically at risk from coastal flooding.