7ES032 Ría del Eo
Coordinates: 43º30'N - 007º01'W Elevation: 0-42 m Area:1,740 ha
Location:
The Ría enters the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean) between the municipalities of Ribadeo and Castropol. It forms the geographical and administrative boundary between the province of Lugo and the Principality of Asturias, in the autonomous regions of Galicia and Asturias, northwest Spain.
Criteria:
1a, 3b, 3c
The Ría del Eo is a characteristic estuary, important for staging and wintering ducks and waders; at least 1% of the northwestern European winter population of Anas acuta occurs. Other waterbird species include Anas penelope, Calidris alpina and Numenius arquata.
Wetland Types:
F, G, H, Sp (dominant type listed first)
The site includes estuarine waters, intertidal mudflats, tidal marshes, and some brackish pools and marshes.
Biological/
Ecological notes
The site contains a range of typical coastal vegetation communities. Amongst the most important are the subtidal eelgrass beds of Zostera marina (possibly the most extensive in Spain), and Z. noltii. Away from the influence of high tides there are extensive beds of Juncus maritimus with species like Glaux maritima, Carex extensa and Juncus gerardi, or beds of Scirpus maritimus or Phragmites australis. Other halophytic vegetation, such as Sarcocornia perennis beds and Puccinelia maritima meadows is less extensive. The immediate surroundings of the estuary have been greatly altered. The primary native woodlands of oak Quercus robur and alder Alnus glutinosa have been reduced to relics, and replaced by farmland and plantations of eucalyptus and pine. Characteristic fauna includes migratory fish (e.g. Anguilla anguilla and Salmo salar), 12 species of reptiles and amphibians, and the otter Lutra lutra.
Hydrological/
Physical notes
 The site is the estuary of the Eo River, and is also known as Ría de Ribadeo).
Human uses
Around the estuary there are three important human settlements with 4,000 permanent inhabitants. Within the estuary, the reed and rush beds are divided into plots and periodically harvested for cattle bedding. Seafood harvesting, above all of razor-shells and clams, is commercialized and an area of 60 ha is dedicated to oyster and clam culture. Fishing in the inner part of the estuary takes place on a small scale with the exception of seasonal eel fishing.

Conservation
Measures

The estuary is a Refuge from Hunting (Refugio de Caza), on both the Galician and Asturian shores.
Adverse
Factors 		Small-scale land-fillings, possibly with solid waste, affect the Vegadeo "Specially Protected from Development Land" in Asturias. Some of the coastal communities of Galicia discharge untreated sewage water into the estuary (a problem which increases in summer because of the large numbers of tourists). A potential problem could be the proliferation of mollusc cultivation, not only through its effect on the saltmarshes and Zostera beds, but also because the species used are non-native, and in other areas have already become vectors of algal plagues.
References