In the Marine Waters of Cyprus Second
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ΚΥΠΡΙΑΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΑΣ, ΑΓΡΟΤΙΚΗΣ ΤΜΗΜΑ ΑΛΙΕΙΑΣ ΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΘΑΛΑΣΣΙΩΝΕΡΕΥΝΩΝ Update Of Articles 8, 9, And 10 Of The Marine Strategy Framework-Directive (2008/56/ΕC) In The Marine Waters Of Cyprus Second Assessment Report May 2019 Contents 1 Environmental features and characteristics ................................................... 3 1.1 Physical and chemical features ........................................................................... 3 1.1.1 Topography and bathymetry ........................................................................................... 3 1.1.2 Physical characteristics ................................................................................................... 4 1.1.3 Chemical characteristics ................................................................................................. 8 1.2 Habitat types ....................................................................................................... 11 1.2.1 Key features .................................................................................................................. 11 1.2.2 Special habitat types ..................................................................................................... 12 1.2.3 Habitats in areas which merit a particular reference ..................................................... 17 1.3 Biological features .............................................................................................. 20 1.3.1 Phytoplankton ................................................................................................................ 20 1.3.2 Zooplankton ................................................................................................................... 22 1.3.3 Angiosperms ................................................................................................................. 23 1.3.4 Macroalgae .................................................................................................................... 27 1.3.5 Benthic macroinvertebrates .......................................................................................... 30 1.3.6 Fish populations ............................................................................................................ 34 1.3.7 Marine mammals ........................................................................................................... 35 1.3.8 Marine reptiles ............................................................................................................... 45 1.3.9 Seabirds ........................................................................................................................ 53 2 Pressures and impacts ................................................................................... 82 2.1 Physical disturbance .......................................................................................... 82 2.2 Hazardous substances ....................................................................................... 84 2.3 Nutrient and organic matter enrichment ........................................................... 86 2.4 Biological disturbance........................................................................................ 87 2.1 Introduction – NIS in the Mediterranean Sea .................................................... 87 2.2 NIS in Cyprus ........................................................................................................... 89 3 Economic and social parameters ................................................................... 96 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 96 3.2 Sectors Related To Marine Waters .................................................................... 96 3.3 Tourism ............................................................................................................... 96 3.3.1 Brief profile of the Sector ............................................................................................... 96 3.3.2 Economic and Social indicators .................................................................................... 99 3.3.3 Future trends ............................................................................................................... 100 3.4 Marine Transports ............................................................................................. 101 3.4.1 Brief profile of the Sector ............................................................................................. 101 3.4.2 Economic and Social indicators .................................................................................. 103 Page 1 of 122 3.4.3 Future trends ............................................................................................................... 103 3.5 Fishery ............................................................................................................... 104 3.5.1 Brief profile of the Sector ............................................................................................. 104 3.5.2 Economic and Social indicators .................................................................................. 105 3.5.3 Future trends ............................................................................................................... 105 3.6 Marine Aquaculture .......................................................................................... 105 3.6.1 Brief profile of the Sector ............................................................................................. 105 3.6.2 Economic and Social indicators .................................................................................. 106 3.6.3 Future trends ............................................................................................................... 106 3.7 Desalination ...................................................................................................... 107 3.7.1 Brief profile of the Sector ............................................................................................. 107 3.7.2 Economic and Social indicators .................................................................................. 109 3.7.3 Future trends ............................................................................................................... 109 3.8 Energy ............................................................................................................... 109 4 Cost Of Degradation ...................................................................................... 110 4.1 General Approach ............................................................................................. 110 4.2 Current legislation aiming at improving/avoiding further degradation of the marine environment .................................................................................................... 111 4.3 Different types of costs .................................................................................... 112 4.4 Additional issues .............................................................................................. 113 5 References ..................................................................................................... 114 Page 2 of 122 1 Environmental features and characteristics 1.1 Physical and chemical features 1.1.1 Topography and bathymetry The topography of the seafloor within the marine realm under jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus is shown in Figure 1.1. The majority of the seafloor is occupied by the abyssal plain, while the continental margin (shelf, slope and rise) is relatively narrow. Notable features include Eratosthenes Seamount, 120 km by 80 km wide, rising from a depth of 2700 m to 690 m below sea level, and the Hecateus Rise and Larnaca Ridge, which rise to 104 m and 915 m, respectively. The deepest point in the Cyprus EEZ is located at its western-most extremity within the Herodotus abyssal plain and extends to over 3000 m in depth. The coverage of marine waters with regards to policy-related classifications is shown in Table 1.1. The total coastline of Cyprus has a length of 1094 km. Figure 1.1 Bathymetry (1000-m contours in grey) and boundaries of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus (in purple). Map courtesy of the Department of Lands and Surveys of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus. Reproduced from DFMR (2012). Page 3 of 122 Table 1.1 Sea surface areas (in km2) of various water bodies of political/managerial and geophysical significance, calculated from the coordinates given by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (referenced to the UTM 36N coordinate system, USGS 84 datum) and first reported in DFMR (2012). Sea surface Water body Definition area (km2) Waters within 1 nm* from the shore of the Republic Coastal waters measured from the low-water mark at low tide (Water- 1038 Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, Law No. 13(I) of 2004) Waters within 12 nm* from the shore of the Republic Territorial waters measured from the low-water mark at low tide (Law No. 45 11880 of 1964) The zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial waters, and Exclusive that extends to the boundaries shown in Figure 1.1 (Law 118886 Economic Zone No. 64(I) of 2004) Total sea surface area under Cyprus jurisdiction 130766 Total land area of Cyprus 9262 * One nautical mile (nm) is defined as 1852 m (Law No. 64(I) of 2004). 1.1.2 Physical characteristics Cyprus lies in the northeastern