9.8 General remarks

The situation and characteristics of Spanish Mediterranean coastal lagoons show the significant recession they have suffered in the past and the new focus on protection of those that still exist.

The factors that led to such a loss of wetlands are usually common, nevertheless in addition each lagoon also presents particular threats. In general, the most common threats found in Mediterranean coastal lagoons are related to agriculture activities, hunting, siltation and water regulation, loss of hydrologic force, creation of industrial parks, pollution from urban waste water, urban infrastructure and impact on the landscape.
From the implementation of this review on lagoons areas in Spanish Mediterranean, it could be deduced that the regression produced during the last 50 years is severe, and has limited the extent and protection of ecosystems.
As a direct result of this, while environmental protection is very high, a considerable step backwards has been done in exploiting fisheries and aquaculture in these areas, only remaining in those places where there is private ownership and where aquaculture is an activity that contributes to the system’s value (because it allows inundation, avoiding siltation).
A relevant aspect is the low level of inter-coordination between the administrations that have expertise in the lagoons and limited monitoring of the fishing and aquaculture activities within them.

All the lagoons assessed are Ramsar sites, and the Spanish State has also assigned to all of them a different level of protection with different limitations. However, barely any of them have a usage and management plan that includes traditional extractive activities like fishing and extensive aquaculture. Therefore, the protection level is very high, but there is no comprehensive view and integrated management of these spaces, and activities such as these could play a much more important role than today.

9.9 References

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REGULATIONS
Directiva 92/43/CEE del Consejo, relativa a la Conservacion de los Habitats Naturales y de la Fauna y Flora Silvestres. D.O.C.E. n? L 206/7.
Ley 29/1985, de 2 de agosto, de Aguas
Ley 22/1988, de 28 de julio, de Costas.
Ley 4/1989, de 27 de marzo, de Conservacion de los Espacios Naturales 197