ITN MMMPA

 

Associated Partner 7 (CAB-MPA)

 

Reserva Marina de Cabo de Palos e Islas Hormigas

The marine environment around Cabo de Palos and Islas Hormigas is characterised by a high degree of biodiversity: well-conserved ecosystems, namely its Posidonia oceanica beds, rocky coral beds and marked marine dynamics.
In 1995, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación) and the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca) of the Region of Murcia created the marine reserve based on studies conducted by the Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (Instituto Español de Oceanografía).
The marine reserve has a surface of 1.931 ha and contains a no-take reserve around Isla Hormiga, El Bajo del Mosquito and the isles of El Hormigón and La Losa.
In terms of measures for protecting, regenerating and developing resources of fisheries interest, the reserve comprises waters inside baselines, under the remit of the Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia, and waters beyond baselines, under the remit of Central Government (Administración General del Estado, Spanish Secretariat for Fisheries- MAFF), separated by a straight baseline.
The marine reserve of Cabo de Palos - Islas Hormigas also belongs to the Natura 2000 Network and is situated within an area declared as SPAMI (Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance).

Key competencies and facilities

According to collaboration agreements, both Administrations develop research and follow up work on the marine reserve to gather information on its evolution and the impact of permitted activities. These activities are professional artisanal fisheries and recreational diving. On-going research studies are also conducted to monitor the water column and other species aside from those that are of interest to the fishing industry. Such studies monitor the evolution of such parameters and the influence they may have on the marine reserve. 
The marine reserve and its on-going monitoring can provide information on local issues such as: artisanal fisheries, fishers knowledge, skills and gears, enhancement of fishing stocks, marine "reserve effect" and spill over, Good Environmental State, and good biodiversity. Also the marine reserve is a privileged spot for monitoring global issues such as global change related to water-column temperatures, long-term trends in seagrass habitats, marine noise, invasive foreign species: all these are already being monitored by the Department of Ecology at the University of Murcia and the Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO). Socio-economical and governance aspects can also provide a field of experience for students.

Key persons involved

Emilio María Dolores Pedrero
Jefe del Servicio de Pesca y Acuicultura
Dirección General de Ganadería y Pesca
Consejería de Agricultura y Agua
Región de Murcia
emilio.mariadolores@carm.es
Tel (00) (+) 34 968326634
Fax (00) (+) 34 968326644
www.carm.es 

Leandro Bermúdez Rodríguez
Técnico Responsable. Servicio de Pesca y Acuicultura
Dirección General de Ganadería y Pesca
Consejería de Agricultura y Agua
Región de Murcia
leandro.bermudez@carm.es
Tel (00) (+) 34 968326633
Fax (00) (+) 34 968326644
www.carm.es 

Silvia Revenga Martínez de Pazos
Consejera Técnica
Subdirección General de Protección de los Recursos Pesqueros
Dirección General de Recursos Pesqueros y Acuicultura
Secretaría General de Pesca
C/ Velázquez 144, 28006 Madrid
srevenga@magrama.es
Tel (00) (+) 34 913476166
Fax (00) (+) 34 913475970

Juan Carlos Jorquera Gámez
Jefe de Servicio
Supervisor de los Servicios de Reservas Marinas
Subdirección General de Protección de los Recursos Pesqueros
Dirección General de Recursos Pesqueros y Acuicultura
C / Velázquez nº 144; 2ª planta; despacho 2.32 28006 MADRID
jcjorquera@magrama.es
Tel (00) (+) 34 913476154.
Fax (00) (+) 34 913475970.

Previous training programs and research

Monitoring studies are mainly driven and conducted by the regional administration of Murcia, the University of Murcia and the IEO.

MMMPA - Training Network for Monitoring Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement no.: 290056.

Privacy Policy: This site uses a system of counting visitors that ensures complete anonymity, no information about the visitor is stored and / or transmitted to others.
However you can change the settings of the service of Web Analytics ShinyStat.