ecological effects of marine protected areas empafish project ...

EMPAFISH Booklet no. 1 Ecological effects of Atlanto-Mediterranean MPAs in the EU
Web page http://www.mepa.org.mt/environment/marine_protected_area/
mainpage01.htm
Regulations
Activities Zone A Zones B, C,
D
Forbidden Swimming,
diving, spearfishing,
boating,
anchoring,
trawling, angling
spear-fishing,
boating,
anchoring,
trawling,
angling
Zone E Zone P
spear-fishing,
anchoring,
trawling,
angling
spear-fishing
Regulated Diving boating, anchoring,
trawling, angling
Allowed Swimming, Swimming, Swimming,
diving diving,boating
Other Management Initiatives
The other management initiatives in the MPA can be classified into the following five
primary objectives and for each of which details of specific objectives are further given:
A) Protection of marine biodiversity.
i) Mapping of protected species and indicator species
ii) Mapping of ecosystems in the supralittoral and mediolittoral zones.
iii) Data collection on fish populations/breeding sites
iv) Studies of ecosystems
v) Compilation of database with species lists for the different ecosystems.
vi) Control of user access
B) Rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems.
i) Control of non-commercial fisheries
ii) Control of recreational activities
iii) Control of user access
iv) Setting up of mooring/anchoring systems
v) Identification and quantification of sources of stress for their mitigation
vi) Ensure developments or human activities do not compromise water quality.
vii) Contingency plans to combat incidence that could cause damage or
constitute a threat to the MPA
C) Maximisation of the sustainable social and economic benefits.
i) Promotion of sustainable fishing methods
ii) Promotion of low impact user activities
iii) Promotion of eco-tourism
iv) Fishermen – surveys of status and catch
v) Sport fishing surveys
vi) Survey of tourist activities
vii) Assessment of fish resources
D) Scientific research and monitoring.
i) Research on fish populations with an aim to management of the fish resource
ii) Monitoring programme for Posidonia oceanica distribution
iii) Monitoring of protected species distribution
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