Proposals for marine biotope protection and future management
Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus). Photo: Nicklas Wijkmark.
AquaBiota has, on behalf of the County Administrative Board of Kalmar County, made a conservation value assessment of the county’s marine environments based on existing inventories of macro vegetation and fish fry. Analyzes has been focused on areas outside of existing marine spatial protection (mainly Natura 2000 sites and Nature Reserves) to identify possible shortcomings in the existing marine protection, as well as to prioritize to the coastal conservation values.
Proposals for future biotope protection areas have been established through GIS analyzes. Spatial criteria analyzes based on organisms’ preferences for wave exposure and depth has been used as base to propose areas for future inventories.
The project is part of the County Administrative Board’s efforts concerning protection of marine environments and is related to the work on green infrastructure in the marine environment. This will connect to the measures that the County Administrative Board will implement in accordance with the Marine Spatial Framework Directive and Swedish environmental objectives. Since inventories have shown that several of the shallow bays in Kalmar County contain threatened vegetation (Chara horrida), the projects is also part of the work with for threatened species in Sweden.
Link to report (in Swedish):
Florén, K & Jönsson, R.B. 2017: Naturvärdesbedömning av kustnära miljöer i Kalmar län – förslag till marina biotopskydd och framtida förvaltning. Länsstyrelsen i Kalmar 2017:04.