New booklet published: Mapping and assessing the coastal marine habitats of Cyprus (Tender 19/2018, DFMR)

We are pleased to announce the publication of a new bilingual booklet (EN/GR) presenting the main findings of the three-year national project “Mapping and evaluation of Posidonia oceanica meadows and other important marine habitats under the European Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), in the coastal waters of Cyprus” (Tender 19/2018, completed in 2022).

This publication is a significant reference document for the marine environment of Cyprus, bringing together – for the first time – detailed mapping and assessment of key coastal marine habitat types under the EU Habitats Directive, including the protected Posidonia oceanica meadows, often described as the “lungs” of the sea.

Main contents of the booklet

• National-scale mapping of the main coastal habitat types in Cyprus (depths < 50 m): 1120* Posidonia oceanica beds, 1110 sandbanks, 1170 reefs, and 8330 submerged or partially submerged sea caves.
• Conservation status assessment of coastal habitats in Natura 2000 Marine Protected Areas and representative areas outside the network.
• Detailed work on sea caves, including the recording of 199 sea caves around Cyprus and 3D mapping of 15 selected caves with relevance for the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus.
• Analysis of anthropogenic pressures such as dredging, anchoring scars, benthic litter, and the presence of non-indigenous species.
• Key conclusions and recommendations for future monitoring, research, and protection measures to support evidence-based marine management.

Download and project information

📘 Download the booklet (PDF): Mapping and assessing the coastal marine habitats of Cyprus

🔎 Project page: Tender 19/2018 – Mapping and evaluation of important marine habitats

Partners

The project was implemented by Marine & Environmental Research (MER) Lab in close collaboration with:

• University of Patras, Department of Geology – Laboratory of Marine Geology & Physical Oceanography (Oceanus-Lab)
• Hellenic Agricultural Organization (ELGO-DIMITRA), Fisheries Research Institute (FRI)
• University of the Aegean, Department of Marine Sciences
• External partners: University of Genoa

Contracting authority: Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFMR), Republic of Cyprus.

Funding

The Tender was co-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2014–2020 (75%) and by national resources (25%).