Nacionalni Park Brijuni
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
EVALUATION REPORT Nacionalni park Brijuni Location: Off the coast of western Istria, Republic of Croatia, Northern Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Blue Park Status: Nominated (2021), Evaluated (2021) MPAtlas.org ID: 15663 Manager(s): Marno Milotić, Public Institution Brijuni National Park MAPS 2 1. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 1.1 Biodiversity Value 4 1.2 Implementation 6 2. AWARD STATUS CRITERIA 2.1 Regulations 9 2.2 Design, Management, and Compliance 11 3. SYSTEM PRIORITIES 3.1 Ecosystem Representation 16 3.2 Ecological Spatial Connectivity 17 SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Evidence of MPA Effects 17 Figure 1: Brijuni National Park covers 26.5 km2 of marine area off the Istrian coast of Croatia in the Northern Adriatic Sea. It contains 14 uninhabited islands and includes the surrounding sea and shelf area. Brijuni National Park is divided into four zones: 1a) the Zone of Very Strict Protection and 1b) the Zone of Strict Protection are shown together in dark blue – the Regulations-Based Classification score is 1 (fully protected); 2) the Zone of Directed Protection is shown in light blue and the Regulations-Based Classification Score is 4 (highly protected); and 3) the Zone of Usage is shown in dark blue and lined – the Regulations-Based Classification score is 3 (fully protected). See Section 2.1 for an explanation of the the Regulations-Based Classification scores. (Source: Marine Protection Atlas, Marine Conservation Institute) - 2 - Figure 2: Brijuni National Park’s Zone of Strict Protection has two sub-zones: 1a) Zone of Very Strict Protection shown in dark green and 1b) Zone of Strict Protection shown in light green. (Source: Brijuni National Park Management Plan, p. 121) - 3 - 1.1 Eligibility Criteria: Biodiversity Value (must satisfy at least one) 1.1.1 Includes rare, unique, or representative ecosystems. Brijuni National Park is one of eight national parks in Croatia and was designated as such because it is considered one of the most “biologically valuable” marine areas in the country.1 In particular, seagrass covers a significant amount of seabed area. Four species have been observed: slender seagrass (Cymodocea nodosa), eel grass (Zostera marina), dwarf eelgrass (Zostera noltii) and Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica).2 The latter is an endemic, long-living seagrass, and although the area covered by this species is small (0.09% of Brijuni’s total marine area), it is one of the largest Posidonia meadows on the west coast of the Istria region of Croatia.3 Other areas of the National Park are characterized by gently sloping limestone rocky reefs, which are found along the coast and in shallow subtidal areas,4 flooded or partially flooded sea caves, which are representative of the Northern Adriatic Sea, and rocky cliffs that are representative of the Mediterranean coastline and covered by an endemic species of Limonium spp.5 1.1.2 Includes area(s) of high species richness or endemism within the context of the biogeographic region. Brijuni National Park is also considered a hotspot of marine biodiversity in the Northern Adriatic region of the Mediterranean.6 Its seagrass in particular support high levels of marine biodiversity by providing feeding, refuge and nursery habitats to many species of fish and invertebrates.7 In addition to the species listed above, the marine habitats throughout Brijuni are home to a invertebrate species of conservation concern, including noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis), the marine sponge (Axinella cannabina), the orange puffball sponge (Tethya aurantium), the date shell (Lithophaga lithophaga), the ascidian (Polycitor adriaticus), the European lobster (Homarus gammarus). The park is also a destination for many highly migratory species of conservation concern to the park. The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), and a variety of important bird species, including the black-throated 1 Public Institution Brijuni National Park (2016) Brijuni National Park Management Plan (2016-2025), p. 8. 2 Hervat, M., Blašković, A. (2019) Local vulnerability assessment of marine habitats to climate change, p. 15. 3 Hervat, M., Blašković, A. (2019) Local vulnerability assessment of marine habitats to climate change, p. 11. 4 Stagličić, N. et al. (2020) Distribution patterns of two co-existing oyster species in the northern Adriatic Sea: The native European flat oyster Ostrea edulis and the non- native Pacific oyster Magallana gigas. Ecological Indicators 113: pp. 1-12. 5 Public Institution Brijuni National Park (2016) Brijuni National Park Management Plan (2016-2025), p. 9. 6 Hervat, M., Blašković, A. (2019) Local vulnerability assessment of marine habitats to climate change, p. 3. 7 Guala, I. et al. (2012) Monitoring of Posidonia oceanica meadows in Croatian Protected Areas, p. 7. - 4 - loon (Gavia arctica), the red-throated loon (Gavia stellata), the European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii), the sandwich tern (Sterna sendvicensis), the common tern (Sterna hirundo), and the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) also frequent the area.8 Brijuni is one of the five most important nesting sites for the European shag in the Adriatic and an important seasonal settlement for northern bird populations.9 It is also located along the migration pathway of loggerhead sea turtles in the Adriatic.10 Brijuni National Park has been identified as a Conservation Area Significant for Birds under the Ecological Network Directive (National Gazette no. 124/13, 105/15).11 1.1.3 Includes demonstrated historic or predicted ecological refugia (e.g., climate refugia) or populations with known or predicted tolerance or adaptive potential. Seagrass ecosystems stabilize the seabed, reduce sedimentation and coastal erosion, produce oxygen, and sequester carbon.12 These functions help to mitigate effects of climate change including rising sea levels and increasing sea temperatures. The endemic Posidonia oceanica species, particularly, can sequester large amounts of organic carbon. This, coupled with their longevity, makes Posidonia oceanica a very important carbon sink in the Mediterranean.13 These meadows are also able to modify the pH of the local water column which means they can act as a chemical refugia for organisms that are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification.14 1.1.4 Includes area important for threatened species (including those identified by the IUCN Red List or national legislation), keystone species, or foundational species. Important areas include migration pathways and breeding, nursery, feeding, or assembly areas. All of the species listed in Section 1.1.2 of this report are protected under the Croatian Directive of Strictly Protected Species.15,16 Additionally, Posidonia oceanica is also protected by the European Commission Habitat Directive 92/43/EU (Annex I, Posidonion oceanicae, code 1120).17 The bottlenose dolphin (Tursios truncatus, VU/IUCN18) and 8 Public Institution Brijuni National Park (2016) Brijuni National Park Management Plan (2016-2025), p. 39. 9 Public Institution Brijuni National Park (2016) Brijuni National Park Management Plan (2016-2025), p. 39. 10 Lazar, B. et al. (2004) TaG recoveries of the loGGerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta in the eastern Adriatic Sea: implications for conservation. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 84, pp. 475-480. 11 Public Institution Brijuni National Park (2016) Brijuni National Park Management Plan (2016-2025), p. 9. 12 Guala, I. et al. (2012) Monitoring of Posidonia oceanica meadows in Croatian Protected Areas, p. 7. 13 Hervat, M., Blašković, A. (2019) Local vulnerability assessment of marine habitats to climate change, p. 50. 14 Hervat, M., Blašković, A. (2019) Local vulnerability assessment of marine habitats to climate change, p. 52. 15 Hervat, M., Blašković, A. (2019) Local vulnerability assessment of marine habitats to climate change, p. 16. 16 Croatian Directive on Strictly Protected Species (2013), Annex I, Croatian: pp. 6-206, English translation: pp. 6- 206. 17 Guala, I. et al. (2012) Monitoring of Posidonia oceanica meadows in Croatian Protected Areas, p. 7. 18 Bearzi, G., et al. (2012) Tursiops truncatus (Mediterranean subpopulation). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012. Retrieved March 2021 from https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16369383/16369386. - 5 - loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta, VU/IUCN19) are included on the IUCN Red List as vulnerable species. Qualifying Designations Natura 2000 Site of Community Importance (SCI) (2014): Croatia’s National Ecological Network was established in 2007. Brijuni National Park was included in that network and was a key part of negotiating Croatia’s inclusion in the EU-wide Natura 2000 Network, which went into effect when Croatia joined the European Union in 2013. Brijuni National Park was proposed as a Site of Community Importance in June 2013, and confirmed in December 2014.20 1.2 Eligibility Criteria: Implementation (must satisfy all) 1.2.1 The MPA is designated by a legitimate and functional government representing the interests of civil society, and the MPA’s implementation meets the IUCN standards for recognizing indigenous peoples’ rights. The area around the Brijuni Islands was designated as a National Park (IUCN Category II21) and Memorial Site in 1983 by the government of the Republic of Croatia (National Park Act and the Brijuni Memorial Site – National Gazette no. 46/83 and later amendments 57/89, 05/90 and 47/91).22 The Croatian government established a public organization (National gazette 47/91, 2/92) to manage the national park.23 The Nature Protection Act (National Gazette 80/13, 15/18, 14/19, 127/19 ) of 2013, currently regulates the protection and management of protected areas in Croatia.24 1.2.2 The MPA is designated to enhance the biodiversity value of the site. The stated goal of the Nature Protection Act for national parks in Croatia is the “preservation of the original natural and landscape values.”25 The managers of Brijuni National Park are responsible for protecting and preserving the natural environment, and for “the smooth running of natural processes, the sustainable use of natural resources, and 19 Casale, P., Tucker, A.D.