Expanding protected areas to encompass the conservation of the endangered common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) in the Alboran Sea

8 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, supplementary data https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105305

The Natura 2000 network is the centerpiece of the European Union conservation strategy to safeguard priority species and habitats. The question of whether other co-occurring species of conservation concern may also benefit from this network, however, remains largely unknown. Here, we used a systematic approach (MARXAN) for i) evaluating if the current Natura 2000 network in the Alboran Sea (western Mediterranean Sea), initially proposed to protect the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and priority habitats, is also spatially protecting the endangered common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), and ii) identifying additional marine areas that should be protected to reach adequate conservation targets for the common dolphin. While the current Natura 2000 network encompass ca. 22% of predicted abundances for common dolphins, this percentage might be enhanced by protecting coastal areas nearby the Strait of Gibraltar. However, dolphins and fisheries largely overlap spatially nearby the coastline, and only segregate in offshore areas that represent the marginal distribution of the species. Thus, conservation decision-makers must achieve a trade-off between cetacean conservation and fisheries by combining an area-based approach (i.e., new protected areas close to the Strait of Gibraltar) together with a basin-wide threat-based approach (e.g., regulation of fisheries)

This publication is produced within the framework of the project MarxanCETALBORAN, a project co-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund throught the Pleamar Program (Fundación Biodiversidad, Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica). In addition, this work was partially funded by Fundación Loro Parque, CEPSA (Compañía Española de Petroleos S.A.), EcoCet Project [CGL 2011-25543], LIFE + Indemares [LIFE07NAT/E/000732], LIFE “Conservación de Cetáceos y Tortugas de Murcia y Andalucía” [LIFE02NAT/E/8610]. FR was funded by Spanish Government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation obtained by ICM-CSIC [CEX2019-000928-S]

Peer reviewed