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Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Graben ta’ Medina

Site Code: MT0000116

Year of designation: 2018 

Area [ha]: 91192.67

 Annex 1 Protected Habitats:

• 1170  Reefs

  Importance:

The reef assemblages present along the escarpments in this area are characterised by a variety of sessile cnidarians and sponges. The most abundant habitat-forming species includes the scleractinians (stony corals) Madrepora oculata and Lophelia pertusa, the antipatharian (black coral) Leiopathes glaberrima and the alcyonaceans Corallium rubrum and Swiftia pallida.

The information was gathered through the LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project(LIFE12NAT/MT/000845). The site hosts a concentration of Caretta caretta population as identified by the LIFE Migrate project (LIFE11 NAT/MT1070).

Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar bejn Rdum Majjiesa u Għar Lapsi

Site code: MT0000101

Year of designation: 2006/2018 update 

Area [ha]: 1459.6

Annex 1 Protected Habitats:

• 1110 Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time
• 1120 Posidonia beds (Posidonion oceanicae)
• 1170 Reefs
• 8330 Submerged or partially submerged sea caves

 Annex II protected species:

Gibbula nivosa

Importance:

A rich and diverse biota can be found in the Rdum Majjiesa to Għar Lapsi marine area, complementing its geomorphological characteristics. The site hosts representatives of the main marine habitat types occurring in the Maltese Islands, with the associated biotic assemblages including species and ecosystems of conservation importance. Meadows of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica dominate large areas of the seabed within the 50 metre bathymetric region. Reefs are present along the coasts where sponges, cnidarians, polychaetes, molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms are observed.

Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Majjistral tal-Graben ta’ Malta

Site Code: MT0000118

Year of designation: 2018 

Area [ha]: 10720.46

 Annex 1 Protected Habitats:

• 1170  Reefs
• 8330 Submerged or partially submerged sea caves

  Importance:

This site is characterised by caves and reef assemblages. The most abundant habitat-forming species include the scleractinian (stony coral) Madrepora oculata, and the alcyonacean Callogorgia verticillata. Several other less abundant habitat-forming species are also encountered, including species of conservation interest, such as antipatharians (including Leiopathes glaberrima), the stony coral Lophelia pertusa and the precious red coral Corallium rubrum. high diversity of associated fauna (especially sponges, echinoderms, molluscs, crustaceans and fish) is also present. Sessile species present in the mouth of caves are the same as those associated with the adjacent reef escarpment while some mobile species that are also typical of deep-water reefs, particularly the shrimps Plesionika spp., are observed in some of the caves.

Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fil-Punent

Site Code: MT0000113

Year of designation: 2016/2018 update 

Area [ha]: 46494.23 

 Annex 1 Protected Habitats:

• 1170 Reefs
• 8330 Submerged or partially submerged sea caves

Annex II protected species:

Caretta caretta

Tursiops truncatus

 Importance:

The site hosts the highest population density of Caretta caretta. A small number of Tursiops truncatus is present in waters around this area,but clearly identifiable areas representing the physical and biological factors essential for their life and reproduction have not yet been found. The information on T. trunctus and C. caretta was gathered throughthe EU LIFE+ MIGRATE project (LIFE11 NAT/MT/1070).Reef assemblages present along escarpments in this area are characterised by a variety of sessile cnidarians and sponges. The most

abundant habitat-forming species included the scleractinian (stony coral) Madrepora oculata, the antipatharian (black coral) Leiopathes glaberrima and the alcyonacean Callogorgia verticillata. The information on caves and reefs was gathered through the LIFEBaĦAR for N2K project (LIFE12NAT/MT/000845).

An extensive area of this site was initially proposed as an SCI in 2016, and confirmed as an SCI in 2017; the site was extended in 2018.

Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fil-Lvant

Site Code: MT0000108

Year of designation: 2016/2018 update 

Area [ha]: 62508.79

Annex II protected species:

Calonectris diomedea

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 Calonectris diomedea and Hydrobates pelagicus breeding season.

Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Punent tal-Graben ta’ Malta

Site Code: MT0000117

Year of designation: 2018 

Area [ha]: 20127.74

Annex 1 Protected Habitats:

• 1170 Reefs

 Importance:

Reef assemblages present are characterised by a variety of sessile cnidarians and sponges. The most abundant habitat-forming species are sponges, particularly Hexadella dedritifera, together with cnidarians such as the scleractinian (stony coral) Madrepora oculata, and the alcyonacean Callogorgia verticillata. A high density of the critically endangered bamboo coral Isidella elongata is found to be associated with reef habitats in this area.

Name of Site: Żona fil-Baħar fl-inħawi tal-Graben tat-Tramuntana ta’ Għawdex

Site Code: MT0000115

Year of designation: 2018 

Area [ha]: 39026.05

Annex 1 Protected Habitats:

• 1170 Reefs
• 8330 Submerged or partially submerged sea caves

 Annex II protected species:

Caretta caretta

Tursiops truncatus

 Importance:

The site hosts a concentration of Caretta caretta population as identified by the LIFE Migrate project (LIFE11 NAT/MT1070). Reef assemblages present along escarpments and associated with the fossil lithistid reef in Offshore Area IV are characterised by a variety of sessile cnidarians and sponges, but no single species is dominant.The information on reefs was gathered through

the LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project (LIFE12 NAT/MT/000845). An extensive area of this site was initially proposed as an SCI in 2016 (MT0000106), together with an SPA; following an extension in 2018 of the SCI (confirmed in 2017), MT0000106 was retained as an SPA, while the SCI with the extended area given the  MT0000106 was retained as an SPA, while the SCI with the extended area given the site code MT0000115.