Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fil-Majjistral
Site Code: MT0000114
Year of designation: 2016/2018 update
Area [ha]: 5589.76
Annex II protected species:
Hydrobates pelagicus
Importance:
The site was identified in the Maltese marine IBA inventory as result of the EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project (LIFE10 NAT/MT/090) due to its importance for Hydrobates pelagicus during the breeding season.
Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar madwar Għawdex
Site Code: MT0000112
Year of designation: 2016/2018 update
Area [ha]: 55632.51
Annex 1 Protected Habitats:
Annex II protected species:
Caretta caretta
Tursiops truncatus
Importance:
The site was identified in the Maltese marine IBA inventory as result of the Eu LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project (LIFE10NAT/MT/090) due to its importance for Calonectris diomedea, and Puffinus yelkouan during the breeding season.
Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fil-Lbiċ
Site Code: MT0000111
Year of designation: 2016/2018 update
Area [ha]: 25595.15
Annex II protected species:
Calonectris diomedea
Puffinus yelkouan
Hydrobates pelagicus
Importance:
The site was identiifed in the Maltese marine IBA inventory as result of the EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project (LIFE10 NAT/MT090) due to its importance for Calonectris diomedea, Hydrobates pelagicus and Puffinus yelkouan during the breeding season.
Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fix-Xlokk
Site Code: MT0000109
Year of designation: 2016/2018 update
Area [ha]: 21915.82
Annex II protected species:
Calonectris diomedea
Importance:
The site was identified in the Maltese marine IBA inventory as result of the EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project (LIFE10 NAT/MT/090) due to its importance for Calonectris diomedea during breeding season.
Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fin-Nofsinhar
Site Code: MT0000110
Year of designation: 2016/2018 update
Area [ha]: 83485.96
Annex II protected species:
Calonectris diomedea
Puffinus yelkouan
Importance:
The site was identified in the Maltese marine IBA inventory as result of the EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project (LIFE10 NAT/MT/090) due to its importance for Calonectris diomedea and Puffinus yelkouan during the breeding season. Note: This site was designated as an SPA and proposed as an SCI in 2016; it was confirmed as an SCI in 2017. This site is now only an SPA, since the SCI area was extended in 2018 and hence given a new site code – MT0000116.
Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fit-Tramuntana
Site Code: MT0000106
Year of designation: 2016/2018 update
Area [ha]: 31901.54
Annex II protected species:
Calonectris diomedea
Importance:
The site was identified in the Maltese marine IBA inventory as result of the EU LIFE+ Malta Seabird Project (LIFE10 NAT/MT/090) due to its importance for Calonectris diomedea breeding season. Note: This site was designated as an SPA and proposed as an SCI in 2016; it was confirmed as an SCI in 2017. This site is now only an SPA, since the SCI area was extended in 2018 and hence given a new site code – MT0000115.
Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar bejn Il-Ponta ta’ San Dimitri (Għawdex) u Il-Qaliet
Site code: MT0000105
Year of designation: 2006/2018 update
Area [ha]: 15880.04
Annex 1 Protected Habitats:
Annex II protected species:
Gibbula nivosa
Caretta caretta
Tursiops truncatus
Importance:
This area hosts the largest variety of Posidonia sub-types when considering the marine sites selected to form part of the Natura 2000 Network, with the representativity of each being considered superior. Reefs have also been identified within this site, occurring on hard beds and rocks. This site was proposed as an SCI in 2010, confirmed as an SCI in 2012 and was then extended in 2018.
Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar bejn Il-Ponta tal-Ħotba u Tal-Fessej (Għawdex)
Site Code: MT0000104
Year of designation: 2012/2018 update
Area [ha]: 168.84
Annex 1 Protected Habitats:
Importance:
The Posidonia meadows present within this site comprise small patches with average shoot densities. Regarding reefs, the biotopes present in the inlet and beyond its mouth are typical of ones found along the south-western coast of the Maltese Islands. Sand banks are also present at this site. In fact, vegetation belonging to the Cymodoceion nodosae
is present in several places inside the inlet present at this site, where it mainly forms monospecific stands.
Regarding caves, assemblages of sciaphilic algae present on hard substrata at the mouth and entrance of caves are characterised by species such as the chlorophytes Palmophyllum crassum, Cladophora prolifera and Flabellia petiolata, and sciaphilic brown algae such as Halopteris filicina and Zonaria tourneforti. The most common type of flora found are red algae (Rhodophyta), such as Lithophyllum incrustans and Peysonnelia squamarina. This site was proposed as an SCI in 2010, confirmed as an SCI in 2012 and was then extended in 2018.
Have you seen our latest video on Malta’s MPAs?
Explore the beauty of our marine waters and the diversity found in the new MPAs – close to shore and in the deep seas.
The LIFE BaĦAR for N2K Closing Event was held at Villa Bighi, Kalkara on the 5th June 2018, and was attended by the Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change José Herrera, the project team members from ERA, MESDC, MESDC-DFA, University of Malta and Oceana, as well as various stakeholders.
The Hon. Dr José Herrera visited the LIFE BaĦAR exhibition at Esplora and then proceeded to launch the closing event by announcing that Malta has increasing the protected marine areas from 3,487 km2 to 4,138 km2, reaching over 35% of the Maltese waters through the designation of an additional eight Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for Malta. These additional areas have been designated through the LIFE BaHAR project and are being afforded protection owing to the presence of important seabed habitats, specifically reefs and caves, in both coastal and deep waters.
Three new inshore sites are an extension to the area covered by existing coastal MPAs and now these include a variety of coastal cave and reef habitats. Apart from this, the LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project extended three offshore sites which had been previously designated as MPAs and which are important for the loggerhead turtle and the bottlenose dolphin. The project also led to the designation of two completely new areas. These include offshore reefs hosting extensive and diverse communities of cold-water corals and of gorgonians and many species of conservation interest.
Following introductory speeches by Ms Margaret Cassar, Director MESDC-PDPID, and Perit Michelle Piccinino, Director Environment and Resources, ERA, a video on Malta’s Marine Protected Areas was shown, showcasing the findings and results of the project.
This was followed by presentations given by the LIFE BaĦAR project team, providing more information on the work done throughout the project and the results achieved.
Project manager Ms Christina Mallia (ERA) introduced the project objectives, aims and actions.
Mr Ricardo Aguilar, Research and Expeditions Director for Oceana Europe, presented the survey methodology employed to carry out the expeditions and collect new data.
Dr Leyla Knittweis-Mifsud, from the University of Malta’s Department of Biology, presented the findings of the surveys and the overall interpretation of the data including the recommendations on sites hosting areas of conservation potential.
Mr Christopher Cousin, Nature Team Manager (ERA), provided an overview of the designation and management process, including the sites that have been proposed for protection through the LIFE BaĦAR project and subsequently approved by Cabinet.
Mr Michael Saliba (MESDC-DFA) provided an overview of the interviews held with stakeholders and recommendations for best practice; a poster developed to promote such practices was exhibited during the event.
Mr Darrin Stevens, ERA Deputy Director, closed the event by thanking all who have worked to make the project a success (which numbered over 100) and made reference to ERA’s ongoing consultation exercise with stakeholders which will lead to the development of management measures for all the MPAs.
The event closed with a reception and networking event. Apart from the project team and other participants from ERA. MESDC and DFA, stakeholders who attended the event include representatives from Transport Malta, Police Department (ALE), Malta Marittima, FUAM, Atlam Sub Aqua, BirdLife Malta, Sharklab- Malta, Federation of Amateur Fishing Association, Marsaxlokk Artisinal Fishers, and ‘Għaqda Baħħara, Sajjieda u Dilettanti Wied il-Għajn.
