Coordinated by Biodiversidad Foundation, with the participation of:

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment, as the Competent Administration for the marine Natura 2000 Network.
• The Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), as the country’s main marine research institutions.
• As well as with the environmental organisations ALNITAK, the Coordinator for the Study of Marine Mammals (CEMMA), OCEANA, the Society for the Study of Cetaceans in the Canarian Archipelago (SECAC), SEO/BirdLife and WWF Spain.

This project is co-financed by the European Union’s LIFE Programme.

Over the course of six years, nearly 130 oceanographic campaigns were conducted. These campaigns allowed for the study of 10 areas that had been previously identified as relevant.

The Atlantic Region includes Banco de Galicia, the Aviles underwater canyon system, and the mud volcanoes of the Gulf of Cadiz.

The Mediterranean Region Includes the Western underwater canyon system of the Gulf of Leon, Menorca Channel, Ebro Delta, Columbretes Islands, South of Almeria-Seco de los Olivos, and Alboran Island.

The Macaronesian Region includes the southern and eastern parts of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, as well as Banco de la Concepción.

Thanks to the development of over 40 actions and the involvement of nearly 300 professionals, we have achieved the following results:

• The Declaration of 10 Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and 39 Special Protection Areas for Birds (SPAs) covers over 7.3 million hectares.
• Spain has substantially increased its marine protected area from 1% to 8%, which contributes to the Convention on Biological Diversity’s objective of protecting 10% of marine regions. This expansion also enables significant progress towards complying with the European Habitats and Birds Directives.
• Discovery of over 50 new species to science.
• Implementation of an innovative laboratory to monitor impacts on protected areas.
• Creation of 50 management guideline documents, one for each of the proposed Natura 2000 sites.
• Nine public participation workshops were held with social partners, with over 650 participants.
• Developing an extensive communication and awareness-raising campaign.

Spain has achieved one of the most extensive and scientifically well-defined networks of Natura 2000 marine sites in Europe. This achievement is also supported by social consensus.