Cetacean Migration Corridor (Spain)

Why this site?

The site covers 46.385 km2 of marine areas and is 1.350 km long, located off the Spanish Mediterranean coast. It is key as Migratory Cetacean Corridor in the Western Mediterranean and for the survival of several cetaceans.

Ecosystem characteristics

Species of cetaceans and marine mammals are included in the National List of Wild Species under Special Protection. Fin whale, sperm whale, long-finned pilot whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, and loggerhead turtle listed as ‘vulnerable’ in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species.
Other sightings of migratory species (mantas and rays). It is especially used by the fin whale in its migration from breeding areas on the African coasts of Mediterranean, to the feeding areas in the Gulf of Leon and the Ligurian Sea.

Challenges

  • Vessel collisions, noise marine traffic 
  • Micro- and nano-plastics (ingestion)
  • Entanglement
  • Pollution; Approval of the Management Plan and establishment of governance
  • Implementation of Management Measures (MSP)
  • Monitoring Framework for the Management Plan

What will be demonstrated?

  • Support ongoing process by suggesting science-based conservation objectives  and conservation measures.
  • Development of a set of indicators to monitor the effectiveness of the protected area plan

Activities to be
carried out

  • Support stakeholder dialogue; Develop cetacean sensitivity and threats analysis to evaluate pressure levels and types and assess the potential effectiveness of protection measures; assesing tradeoffs;  Ecological Corridor: Support development of PSSA regulations
  • Connectivity among the Pelagos Sanctuary, the Spanish Corridor and the new Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) in the region.

Contact person

Mar Otero

Universidad de Málaga