Doñana: Overview

 

The marine environment of the Doñana site is, as occurs in the terrestrial domain, an exceptional site for biodiversity. Situated in the gulf of Cadiz, at the confluence of special geographic, oceanographic and environmental characteristics, the marine area of Doñana is a place of enormous strategic and biological productivity. It is of great importance for man and many species of fauna and flora, many of them protected, from cetaceans and sea turtles to corals, molluscs and fish.

Unfortunately, the protection and management measures granted to the terrestrial environment of this unique place (such as the declaration of the National Park, Biosphere Reserve, Natural Heritage Site, Wetland of International Importance, or its inclusion in the  Natura 2000) have not been applied to the sea, beyond the small strip of sea included in the National Park boundaries.

On the other hand, from the point of view of the pressures resulting from human activity, areas related to marine estuaries require special attention, because, generally, and due to its high productivity, they concentrate commercial species and are therefore targeted areas of the fishing industry. Moreover, in this case it is an area of high interest due to its geographical location and strategic focus makes for numerous activities.

Doñana and the Gulf of CadizReport: Doñana and the Gulf of Cadiz