RESERVAS MARINAS DE ESPAÑA

U N I Ó N E U R O P E A

USEFUL ADDRESSES

Secretaría General del MarVelázquez, 14428006 MadridPhone: +34 913 476 000 Fax: +34 913 476 046

Dependencia del Área funcional de Agricultura y PescaSubdelegación del Gobierno en AlmeríaHermanos Machado, 404004 AlmeríaPhone: +34 950 759 400Fax: +34 950 759 417

Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de AndalucíaDelegación Provincial en AlmeríaCentro residencial Oliveros, bloque singular, 2ª planta 04004 AlmeríaPhone: +34 950 012 800 / 011 150Fax: +34 950 012 826

Oficina Administrativa del Parque Natural del Cabo de Gata - NíjarFundición s/n04071 Rodalquilar - AlmeríaPhone: +34 950 153 464Fax: +34 950 153 445

Marine reserves website: www.reservasmarinas.netContact: reservasmarinas@marm.es

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GOBIERNODE ESPAÑA

MINISTERIODE MEDIO AMBIENTE, Y MEDIO RURAL Y MARINO

SECRETARÍA GENERALDEL MAR

Benjamín García

RED IBEROAMERICANA DE RESERVAS MARINAS

LEYENDA

Límite de reserva marina, 1 milla· Pesca profesional de trasmallo y cerco· Buceo autónomo con autorización del MARM

Reserva integral en aguas exteriores

Zona de máxima protección del Parque Natural del Cabo de Gata-Níjar

Aguas del Parque Natural del Cabo de Gata-Níjar· Pescas profesionales tradicionales de la zona· Pescas deportivas con caña y embarcación· Buceo autónomo con autorización de la Consejería

CONVENTIONAL SIGNS

Marine reserve limit, 1 mile· Professional fishing with nets & pourse seiner· Scuba diving with prior authorization of MARM

No-take reserve in waters beyond baselines

Maximum protection of Parque Natural del Cabo de Gata-Níjar

Waters of Parque Natural del Cabo de Gata-Níjar· Local artisanal professional fisheries· Sports hook fishing from the coast or boat· Scuba diving with prior authorization of Consejería

DESIGNATION

In Almería, at the foot of the Cabo de Gata sierra, forming coves and cliffs, there is a marine environment of outstanding beauty. The various underwater formations mean these ocean beds play host to a great biological diversity.

Their ecological and fisheries wealth led to the protection of the one nautical mile marine band stretching up to the foot of the Cabo de Gata sierra, between Carboneras and the Rambla de Morales.

Based on studies conducted by the University of Malaga and the Department of the Environment (CMA - Consejería de Medio Ambiente), the Cabo de Gata Natural Park was created, according to Decree 314/1987 of 23rd December of the Department of the Environment (BOJA no. 6 of 26th January 1988), which comprises a large expansion of terrain and waters inside baseliness within the baseline.

Based on studies conducted by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO - Instituto Español de Oceanografía) and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA - Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación), the marine reserve for waters beyond baseliness in the protected marine band was created under Ministerial Order of 3rd July 1995 (BOE no. 165 of 12th July 1995).

Of the six areas under maximum protection, one belongs exclusively to the Natural Park: Punta Javana. The remaining five areas are no-take reserves shared between the Enviroment Department and the MARM: Cabo de Gata, Punta de Loma Pelada, Punta de la Polacra, Punta de la Media Naranja and Morrón de los Genoveses.

The marine reserve of Cabo de Gata – Níjar also belongs to the Natura 2000 Network and has been declared as SPAMI (Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance). The reserve has got the international conservation designation given by UNESCO of biosphere reserve.

AIMS OF THE MARINE RESERVE: ARTISANAL FISHERIES

The mission of the marine reserve is to protect, regenerate and develop resources of fisheries interest to maintain sustainable fisheries, enabling artisanal fishermen in the area to preserve their traditional way of life.

The reserve enables other activities of low-environmental impact to be carried out (recreational scuba diving, boat trips, environmental education, etc.) which contribute to the economic development of local communities.

BOUNDARIES AND AREAS

Within the aforementioned marine reserve, no-take reserve areas are determined according to the following geographical points:

ACTIVITIES IN THE MARINE RESERVE

Prohibited activities- Any activity in the no-take reserves, unless for previously authorized

scientific purposes- Underwater fishing throughout the marine reserve and recreational

fishing in waters beyond baselines- Professional fishing by fishermen who do not usually fish in the area

and who are not in the relevant census for vessels authorized to fish in the marine reserve

- Any unauthorized removal of marine flora or fauna

ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO AUTHORIZATION

In waters beyond baseliness and outside the no-take reserve- Professional trammel net fishing is only authorized for vessels entered

in the relevant census published by the General Secretariat of the Sea (SGM Secretaría General del Mar), and purse-seine

- Recreational scuba diving with prior authorization requested from the Agency for the Functional Area of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Sub-office of the Government in Almería (Dependencia del Área Funcional de Agricultura y Pesca de la Subdelegación del Gobierno de Almería)

- Scientific sampling expeditions authorized by the SGM

In waters inside baselines and outside the no-take reserve- Professional marine fishing with gear used traditionally in the area- Recreational bait fishing from land or onboard, except restrictions listed

in the Natural Resource Development Plan of the Natural Park (PORN- Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales)

- Recreational scuba diving authorized by the CMA of the Junta de Andalucía

- Scientific sampling authorized by the CMA of the Junta de Andalucía

THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

The reserve is situated in a unique situation, an area where currents clash; a warm current flowing from the Mediterranean and a less saline and colder one coming from the Atlantic. Both meet off the Cabo de Gata, endowing the environment with special characteristics, a high productivity and biological wealth.

Its ocean bottoms, too, are greatly varied with shelves, sandy sea beds, rock and Posidonia oceanica beds.

BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES

One of the reserve's most interesting bottoms is made up of Posidonia oceanica beds, a sea phanerogam endemic to the Mediterranean which forms extensive underwater beds and highly productive communities. They provide shelter to many sea organisms and a place for species of fisheries interest to hatch.

Other singular and protected species are Cystoseira spp., a characteristic alga in clean, well-oxigenated waters, the orange polyp (Astroides calycularis), the mollusc Dendropoma petraeum which along with the lithothamnion (Neogoniolithon brassica-florida) form a similar structure to tropical coral reefs, and the noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis).

The reserve teems with species of commercial interest such as the dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), the european seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), the common dentex (Dentex dentex), the red mullet (Mullus spp.) and other pelagics such as the greater amberjack (Seriola spp.) and, at certain times of the year, some tunas. When it comes to molluscs, there are the striped venus clam (Chamelea gallina) and the cephalopods octopus (Octupus vulgaris), cuttlefish or sepia (Sepia officinalis) and squid (Loligo vulgaris).

RESOURCES

To preserve all this biological wealth the SGM has assigned a fisheries patrol to the reserve to carry out surveillance tasks with the support vessel: “Cerro de Lobos”

PRACTICAL ADVICE

A marine reserve is a protected area. Its conservation depends on everyone:

- Find out about its restrictions- Cooperate in its protection and maintenance and remember that it

is prohibited to:- Practice underwater fishing- Practice any activity in the no-take reserves- Possess any device used by divers or fishermen which could be

used for fishing or harvesting marine species- Scuba diving authorizations are granted by the Sub-office of the

Government in Almería or at the offices of the Natural Park of Cabo de Gata-Níjar of the CMA of the Junta de Andalucía

Antonio Frías Antonio Frías Diego Moreno Diego Moreno

Cabo de Gata:1. l 36o 43,14'N ; L 2o 11,70'W 2. l 36o 42,40'N ; L 2o 11,70'W 3. l 36o 42,20'N ; L 2o 10,95'W 4. l 36o 43,20'N ; L 2o 10,95'W

Morrón de los Genoveses:1. l 36o 44,30'N ; L 2o 06,83'W

From the first point, following the normal baseline (coast), to the second point.

2. l 36o 44,20'N ; L 2o 07,05'W 3. l 36o 42,20'N ; L 2o 06,45'W 4. l 36o 44,50'N ; L 2o 06,45'W5. l 36o 44,50'N ; L 2o 06,55'W

Punta de Loma Pelada:1. l 36o 46,65'N ; L 2o 03,65'W 2. l 36o 46,65'N ; L 2o 02,80'W 3. l 36o 47,70'N ; L 2o 02,30'W 4. l 36o 47,62'N ; L 2o 02,67'W 5. l 36o 46,75'N ; L 2o 03,53'W

Punta de la Polacra:1. l 36o 50,07'N ; L 2o 00,30'W 2. l 36o 49,60'N ; L 2o 00,00'W 3. l 36o 50,40'N ; L 1o 58,90'W 4. l 36o 51,45'N ; L 1o 58,90'W

Punta de la Media Naranja1. l 36o 56,33'N ; L 1o 54,15'W 2. l 36o 55,70'N ; L 1o 54,80'W 3. l 36o 55,60'N ; L 1o 54,70'W 4. l 36o 55,85'N ; L 1o 53,90'W 5. l 36o 56,25'N ; L 1o 53,50'W 6. l 36o 57,00'N ; L 1o 53,40'W 7. l 36o 57,00'N ; L 1o 53,70'W