The popular Red Bay boating area on the North Antrim coast is to gain protection under EU Law as a marine animal protection area.

The area was chosen because it contains rare species that are in danger of becoming extinct.

The new marine protection area restricts human activity to protect living, non-living, cultural, and/or historic resources.

Protections in various areas range from limits on development, fishing gear types, fishing seasons, catch limits, moorings, to complete bans on removing marine life of any kind.

It is understood Red Bay is a nursery ground for many commercial fish species.