Carmarthen Bay SPA was the first fully marine SPA in the UK. It is a single feature site, designated in June 2003 solely for the common scoter sea duck, Melanitta nigra.

Common scoter have a global range extending from Iceland, Britain and Scandinavia eastwards across Siberia and arctic Russia to the Atlantic coast of North America.  In Europe, the ducks migrate from summer breeding sites in Iceland, Scandinavia and arctic Russia as far south as the Iberian Peninsula and occasionally North Africa, where they over-winter in flocks in shallow, sheltered waters.  Carmarthen Bay is mainly used by the birds as a refuelling and rest stop in these migrations, but some birds may also over-winter here.

Common scoter are not only protected as a migratory species under the EC Birds Directive, they are listed for protection in the Bern Convention, the UK Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 and are a Section 7 species of principal importance in Wales.

In the UK the common scoter is recognized as a nationally threatened species.  More than 50% of the non-breeding population is found at fewer than ten sites and Carmarthen Bay is considered the most important.

The distribution of scoter in the Bay at any time reflects the density of the food resources which are themselves very variable depending on how abundant and where the various prey species are from year to year.  The most consistent feeding areas are offshore from Amroth and Pembrey Sands and, occasionally, Rhossili Bay. 

Non-qualifying species of interest of the site are red throated diver Gavia stellata, velvet scoter Melanitta fusca, eider Somateria mollissima, and Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus.

This site overlaps substantially with the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries SAC. 

Further information:

The UK data sheet for Carmarthen Bay SPA is available here.