 Tom Brereton/Marinelife
SEO/BirdLife (BirdLife in Spain) has just published its first national inventory of Marine Important Bird Areas (IBAs).
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Marine IBA inventory published for the first time in Spain
08-12-2009
SEO/BirdLife (BirdLife in Spain) has just published the first national inventory of Marine Important Bird Areas (IBAs).
The LIFE Project, 'Marine Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Spain', has just been concluded after more than four years of work, and together with the already identified areas for seabirds on the mainland, this inventory will address the complete protection of these birds through a network of integrated areas.
Many of the 42 selected areas have also been identified as important for the protection of other species, such as sea turtles and fish. The project monitored and surveyed an area of about 1 million km2.
During the successful launch of the inventory, Elena Espinosa, the Spanish Environmental Minister, commented: "The inventory of Marine IBAs will be a key tool to develop, in collaboration with autonomous communities, a policy aimed to protect seabirds and the most sensitive and emblematic marine species. This document will be fundamental in extending the Natura 2000 network in the marine environment."
"SEO/BirdLife offers to the Spanish state a complete, coherent and rigorous reference" —Asunción Ruiz, SEO/BirdLife Manager of the LIFE Project
Asunción Ruiz, SEO/BirdLife Manager of the LIFE Project added: “SEO/BirdLife offers to the Spanish state a complete, coherent and rigorous reference which should represent the future network of marine Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds in Spain”. A Special Protection Area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union (EU) Birds Directive. EU Member States have a special duty to safeguard the habitats of threatened birds and migratory birds. Together with Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), the SPAs form a network of protected sites across the EU, called Natura 2000.
The identification of marine IBAs is the first step in ensuring the complete protection of seabirds, and the marine environment as a whole. Following the preparation of this inventory, the next steps in guaranteeing the future of seabirds is now to achieve effective protection of marine IBAs and designate them as SPAs, and to provide proper management through the development and adoption of relevant management plans.
The LIFE project has received the support from the Spanish Minister of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino - MARM) and the European Commission.
The Spanish inventory is a result of a parallel project with Portugal, where SPEA (BirdLife In Portugal) has recently published 'Areas Importantes para as Aves Marinhas em Portugal', their first Marine IBA inventory.
Check the inventory here
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Credits: Global Seabird Programme