ecological effects of marine protected areas empafish project ...

EMPAFISH Booklet no. 1 Ecological effects of Atlanto-Mediterranean MPAs in the EU
iv) Monitoring of main biotope distributions
v) Assessment of the occurance and distribution of alien species
vi) Assessment of links between geology and biodiversity
E) Education and public awareness.
i) Publication and dissemination of printed informative material
ii) Media promotion
iii) Communication with schools and other educational centres
iv) Communication with stakeholders
v) Website development
Contacts
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Ms Sarah Debono
Sarah.debono@mepa.org.mt
P.O. Box 200, Marsa GPO 01 Malta.
Tel : +356 22906004 / 2290 2295
www.mepa.org.mt
Rdum Majjiesa / Ras Ir-Raheb: ecological studies
� General
There has been only one scientific study on the Rdum Majjiesa to Ras il-Raheb
MPA (reported in Pirotta & Schembri 2000 and Pirotta 2001). The main
objectives were to assess the biological characteristics of the site, which has
been proposed as Malta’s first Marine Protected Area. This assessment was
intended to produce an inventory and a scientific description of the major
biological complexes occurring within the site’s boundaries. The study was
also intended to produce the base maps necessary for environmental
managers to draw plans and programmes for zoning, managing and
protecting the site.
Two surveys were carried out during the study, bathymetric and benthic,
using a variety of diving techniques (multidirectional belt transects in
proximity of the shore using snorkelling and SCUBA, unidirectional belt
transects using diver-operated vehicles (DOVs) and SCUBA spot dives using
anchored shot-lines). The data collected from these surveys were used to
produce two sets of maps each at a scale of 1:2,500: one set showing the
major geomorphologic features (bottom types) of the study area, and a
second set showing the major biotic assemblages present. A synoptic version
of these maps was also produced at a scale of 1:10,000. The data collected
during the bathymetric and benthic surveys were combined to produce a map
of the major seascapes present in the study area at a scale of 1:10,000.
The scientific investigations carried out during the study also provided new
knowledge, and qualitative and quantitative data on the major geophysical
and biotic characteristics of the proposed MPA, that confirmed the suitability
of the Rdum Majjiesa to Ras il-Raheb area as a MPA. These baseline studies