– The initiative seeks to strengthen the populations of this endangered species, with the participation of key stakeholders and sectors in its conservation.
– A workshop was held in Santoña as part of the participatory process promoted in the LIFE INTEMARES project.
The Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) has launched a demonstrative experience to improve the conservation status of the shag in 11 marine protected areas in Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria. It will do so through participation, innovation and governance in collaboration with these three autonomous communities.
This initiative, promoted within the framework of the LIFE INTEMARES project coordinated by the Fundación Biodiversidad, part of the MITECO, offers the opportunity to address the main threats to the species derived from human activities. Its intention is to contribute to the recovery of their populations, with the participation and involvement of key actors and sectors in their conservation, including the fishing sector, the scientific community and nautical-recreational activities.
The area of action of this initiative is the Atlantic Islands National Maritime-Terrestrial Park of Galicia.The marine areas of Penarronda-Barayo, Cabo Busto-Luanco, Yacimientos de Icnitas, Ría de Ribadesella – Ría de Tinamayor, Ría del Eo, Ría de Villaviciosa and Playa de Vega, located in Asturias, and the marine areas of Rías Occidentales and Duna de Oyambre, the marine area of Islotes de Portios-Isla Conejera-Isla de Mouro and Marismas de Santoña, and the marshes of Santoña; and the areas of the Rías Occidentales and Duna de Oyambre, the marine area of the islets of Portios-Isla Conejera-Isla de Mouro and the marshes of Santoña, Victoria, Joyel and Ría de Ajo, located in Cantabria.
Likewise, this demonstrative experience will serve as a reference for the implementation of these measures in other marine protected areas belonging to the Natura 2000 marine network in Spain. In addition, it may respond to the need to develop conservation plans for those species included in the Spanish Catalog of Threatened Species in the vulnerable category, precisely the case of the shag.
PARTICIPATION AND INNOVATION
To mitigate some of the threats faced by the shag, such as by-catch in fishing gear; disturbance in breeding or feeding areas; pollution or exotic species, a series of proposals, recommendations and measures will be developed. In this way, a process is being carried out where participation is promoted through different actions, such as interviews and workshops. In this context, a workshop was held at the interpretation center of the Natural Park of the Marshes of Santoña, Victoria and Joyel in Cantabria.
Based on the information generated, those actions to be implemented as a priority will be selected in order to test their degree of success, with the collaboration, as mentioned above, of the sectors involved, especially the fishing sector. The aim is to contribute, among other aspects, to avoid accidental captures of the shag and, in general, to improve the conservation status of the species in the project’s study areas.
ENDANGERED SPECIES
The shag (Gulosus aristotelis) is a seabird recognizable by its jet black plumage and the small crest of feathers on the top of its head, for which it is named. It settles in the rocky sections of the most inaccessible cliffs of the coasts and does not usually stray far from the coast.
Its population in Spain is divided into two subspecies, the Mediterranean(Gulosus aristotelis desmarestii) and the Atlantic(Gulosus aristotelis aristotelis aristotelis). Both have experienced a great regression in recent years and are included in the Spanish Catalogue of Threatened Species in the vulnerable category.
EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
The LIFE INTEMARES project is moving towards the objective of achieving effective management of the marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network, with the active participation of the sectors involved and with research as the basic tools. MITECO’s Biodiversity Foundation coordinates the project in which the Ministry itself, through the General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification and the General Directorate of the Coast and Sea; the Regional Government of Andalusia, through the Department of Sustainability, Environment and Blue Economy, as well as the Environment and Water Agency; the Spanish Institute of Oceanography; AZTI; the University of Alicante; the Polytechnic University of Valencia; the Spanish Fishing Confederation, SEO/BirdLife and WWF Spain participate as partners. It is supported by the LIFE Program of the European Union.
