
Marine Reserve of Fishing Interest at Cape Roche, Cadiz, Spain
Why this site?
The area surrounding Cape Roche is a hot spot of biodiversity close to the Strait of Gibraltar with a myriad of benthic habitats with Atlantic and Mediterranean influence. The rich biodiversity supports an important fishing activity based in Conil, Barbate, and Santi Petri harbours.
The fishermen has adopted a number of voluntaries measures in order to preserve the fishing resources. During last years, the fishers has leading initiatives of conservation like promoting the creation of a Marine Reserve of Fishing Interest, involved in the participatory process to the SCI ESZZ12004 Estrecho Occidental (200.799 ha, approved in 2024) or a Bioclimatic Observatory for protection and restoration of the area. This initiatives were developed with the support of researchers of IEO, University of Seville and NGOs like SOLDECOCOS and WWF.
Also, transboundary activities with Moroccan fishermen and local institutions are in development to coordinate and improve the management of shared fisheries, protect fishing essential habitats.
All these initiatives are important for the Blue Connect project to learn on this cross-stakeholder collaboration with the participation of the fishing sector to identify the strict protection areas, define management plans of protected areas or collaborate in the active habitats restoration activities, learning on experiences like LIFE ECOREST developed in Catalonia with a participatory governance approach.
Ecosystem characteristics
The area is a key migratory corridor connecting the Mediterranean sea with the Atlantic Ocean (whales, marine turtles, Bluefin tuna, pelagic sharks..). We can find a great diversity of marine habitats with Mediterranean influence. There is a significant presence of reefs and sandbanks of high ecological value. The presence of endangered and protected species highlights the importance of this ecosystem.
The predominant habitats in the upper infralittoral are a variety of photophilous algae in the shallowest areas. From 10 m, we can find orange coral islands (Astroides calycularis) and other delicate species such as Stolonica socialis. Sands and muddy sands highlight communities of hydrozoans, tubicolous polychaetes between 10-44 m.
In the Infralittoral and lower circalittoral rocks we find the most valuable communities for their diversity, including sensitive and protected species.
Challenges
Among the main challenges in the area we have a lack of specific management plan with clear conservation objectives and measures, which may lead to overexploitation of resources and degradation of the ecosystem.
The area has already been the subject of conservation measures and the regulation of the fishing activities of the small-scale fleet, mainly promoted by the Conil Fishermen’s Association. Since 2010, this association has been promoting the creation of a Marine Reserve of Fishing Interest, with the gradual involvement of conservation and research organisations.
What will be demonstrated?
- Improvement with the co-management schemes.
- Participatory identification and zoning for strict protection.
- Active restoration of deep habitats with a governance model.
- Designation of a new Marine Reserve of Fishing Interest with a participatory process.
Activities to be
carried out
- Active restoration of degraded deep habitats.
- Working group to create a new Marine Reserve of Fishing Interest in Mar de Gades (Cádiz).
- Participation on definition of new management plan for SIC ESZZ12004 Estrecho Occidental.
- Identification of areas for strict protection.