The goal of Oceana’s expeditions is to survey areas in Maltese waters in order to identify the location and extent of selected habitats listed in Annex 1 of the Habitats Directive. This at-sea work is part of the LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project, an initiative co-financed by the EU LIFE funding programme, and which has the goal of identifying and designating new Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) for inclusion within the Natura 2000 network. Oceana’s role is to map out sandbanks, reefs and marine caves by using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and scuba divers.
Natura 2000 is a network of protected areas throughout the EU and it is considered the largest coherent group of protected areas in the world. It aims at protecting Europe’s most vulnerable and threatened species and habitats.

OCEANA / Carlos Minguell © LIFE BaĦAR for N2K