The islands are a breeding ground for fulmar, gannet, shag, kittiwake, guillemot, razorbill, puffin and grey seal.

[2] The islands are also at the centre of a related Special Area of Conservation, named after them,[3] which extends to the mainland coastline east of Kilmore Quay.

The conservation area specifically addresses: the mud and sand flats on the mainland coastline as well as those surrounding the mainland facing sides of Little Saltee; large shallow inlets and bays to the west of an imaginary line joining Kilmore Quay and Great Saltee; reefs throughout the entire area; the vegetated sea cliffs which surround both islands; sea caves along the south coast of Great Saltee and the entire area as a grey seal habitat with specific reference to both islands as important sites, including for breeding, along with some areas further out also of interest as moult and resting haul-out sites.

[4] The islands have been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support breeding populations of several species of seabirds.

[citation needed] The name saltee comes from the Ostmen, or Danish Vikings who settled in the baronies of Forth and Bargy sometime in the 9th and 10th centuries, meaning in the original old Norse, "salt islands".

[13] The Neale family, who still own the island,[14] built a number of small commemorative structures on Great Saltee.