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Research

Science is one of the foundations for effective management of marine protected areas.  We have taken steps to enhance our understanding of the Natura 2000 Network in the marine environment. The achieved milestones and results are:
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Research

Analysis of the Natura 2000 network for marine environments

An analysis of the Natura 2000 network’s suitability has been conducted. It identifies areas of high ecological value that could be protected to meet the Government’s marine conservation objectives.

This proposal is based on a broad scientific consensus and has been developed using a methodology pioneered in Europe. The document, prepared by over 150 experts from 65 research organisations, identifies:

  • There are 104 sites that hold high ecological value, with 71 being important for marine species and habitats, and 33 being of interest for seabirds.
  • It also identifies 35 areas in which knowledge needs improvement.

Based on this, MITECO has developed a proposal for sites that should be protected, considering ecological and socio-economic factors. As a result, seven high-value sites have been identified and are in the process of being declared as protected areas. This will increase the protected marine area by 8.7%. The proposal should include the seven areas that have been scientifically studied within the framework of LIFE INTEMARES. This addition would increase the marine protected area in Spain to almost 25%, with one of the areas overlapping with the previous group.

Simultaneously, updates have been made to the Master List of Marine Species, which serves as a reference for the species found in Spanish waters. The list currently contains over 14,000 references. To aid in the management of marine habitats, a standardised nomenclature has been developed for the communities identified during oceanographic research campaigns. This allows for the grouping of communities into different categories of habitats of Community interest as defined in European legislation (Habitats Directive). The aim is to simplify the complexity of the marine environment.

Improving Habitat Knowledge

25 oceanographic campaigns have been conducted. 15 of these aimed to increase knowledge of habitats, while the remaining 10 focused on improving knowledge of species present in unexplored areas, potentially leading to their declaration as new Natura 2000 Network sites. The funds of the following spaces in this area have been studied:

  • Seamounts are located in the Mallorca Channel area.
  • Tiñoso y Seco de Palos canyon (Murcia).
  • Cap Breton tributary canyon system (Basque Country).
  • Marine area of the banks and gorges of the Alborán Sea (located between the SCIs “South of Almería and Seco de los Olivos” and “Alborán marine space”).
  • Marine area west of the Strait of Gibraltar and area east of the SCI “Marine area of the east and south of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura”.
  • The Strait of Gibraltar is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBAs) in Spain.

To improve the preparation of management plans for declared areas, two campaigns were conducted to analyse interactions with fishing activities. Five other campaigns were also carried out, including one in the, another in the Eastern and Southern Lanzarote-Fuerteventura Marine Area, and another in Mud Volcanoes in the Gulf of Cádiz. The IEO-CSIC has developed the of these Sites of Community Importance (SCI). Furthermore, the management of 8 SCIs, which were studied in the previous project, is being supported with essential scientific knowledge, including that of deep-sea habitats.

Improving Knowledge of Species

Throughout the project, efforts are being made to enhance our understanding of the biology and ecology of various species of community interest.

The results obtained enhance the scientific knowledge available to design and implement the most suitable management and conservation measures for the following species:

  • Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)
  • Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
  • Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)
  • Strait and Gulf of Cadiz killer whales (Orcinus orca)
  • Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus)
  • Long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas)
  • Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
  • Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
  • Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus)
  • Barolo shearwater (Puffinus baroli)
  • Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus)
  • Fan mussel (Pinna nobilis)

Studying these species can help identify areas where their presence has been confirmed. These areas can then be proposed as protected areas in the Natura 2000 Network or as critical areas for conservation.

Surveys and censuses have been conducted to gain a better understanding of the populations of Balearic and Cory’s shearwaters in the Strait of Gibraltar area within this framework. Balearic shearwater individuals have been tagged to determine their activity in the northern and central areas of the Catalan coast. This information may be used to designate new SPAs and to determine distribution patterns in the North Atlantic marine demarcation.

Nest boxes have been installed in Lanzarote and Tenerife for Barolo and Manx shearwaters, respectively. The goal is to establish breeding populations that are more accessible, which will aid in marking the few individuals present in our waters and gaining a better understanding of their biology and ecology. This will enable the design of effective protection measures. These species are studied through censuses and satellite tagging to propose better conservation measures for their small populations.

To improve the conservation status of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), various actions have been implemented:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • This study aims to assess the suitability of beach stretches in the Mediterranean, Gulf of Cadiz, and Canary Islands for incubating potential clutches. The goal is to enhance the design of measures that promote nesting events for the species.

  • Marking and releasing one-year-old specimens for monitoring and studying their behaviour during their first year of life. It is now possible to collect relevant data on the behaviour of these individuals during their first months after release. This information helps to improve conservation measures included in strategies and plans for the conservation of this species.

  • Developing a national protocol for the care of nesting events and strandings of this species is necessary to unify the different regional methodologies already in place and ensure that national systems are coordinated.

  • Identification of new genetic markers to determine the origin of individuals present in our waters.

Research is currently under way to satellite tag individual green turtles in the Canary Islands. This will provide a more comprehensive understanding of their distribution in the waters of the archipelago. We are promoting the sampling and satellite tagging of leather back turtles to learn about their habits in our waters. This will help us understand their populations of origin, which have been largely unknown until now.

Research is underway to photo-identify and satellite tag sperm whales in the Strait of Gibraltar, fin whales in the Mediterranean, long-finned pilot whales in the Alborán Sea, and Risso’s dolphins in the Canary Islands. The goal is to improve our understanding of these species and recommend effective management and conservation strategies.

Impact of human activities and climate change

The study analysed the impact of economic activities on habitats and species that are part of the marine Natura 2000 network. The analysis covers non-fishing activities, as well as professional and recreational fisheries, and examines the vulnerability of species and habitats to climate change.

The results of these studies will enable the development of measures to make natural resources compatible with human activities, as well as proposals to adapt, control, eliminate and mitigate the effects of climate change on habitats and species.

Related publications

Marine ecosystem services

The status of Natura 2000 marine ecosystem goods and services, including their economic valuation, has been analysed to ensure that decision-making processes take into account the diversity of socio-cultural, economic, biophysical and other values of marine areas.

Related publications

Demonstrative research experiences

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