A crew surveying an area around Malta has spotted marine species that have never before been recorded in the Mediterranean Sea.
The preliminary findings of the extensive research concluded after 140 days at sea includes the identification of hundreds of species, large reefs of cold water corals and caves 300m below the surface.
The crew was on an expedition for Oceana, which has just concluded its exploration of deep-sea areas, underwater caves and sandbanks within the Life Baħar for N2K project.
The project is the most comprehensive marine video survey ever undertaken in Malta. It covers an area more than 800 times the size of the island and was conducted in a bid to achieve effective protection for habitats of high ecological value.
The footage and samples will serve as the basis to create marine protected areas that help preserve this natural heritage and restore its abundance
The initiative falls under Natura 2000. Based on the information gathered during two expeditions – one in 2015 and another one this year – the project partners will identify proposed sites for protection and pass the list on to the government. The total surveyed area was 280,000km², of which 230,000km² is offshore. In comparison, the total land surface of the Maltese archipelago is 316km².
“The findings from Malta are impressive and include species that hadn’t previously been recorded in the Mediterranean.
“The footage and samples compiled will require years of analysis to be fully valued, but in the shorter term, they will serve as the basis to create marine protected areas that help preserve this natural heritage and restore its abundance,” said expedition leader and research director Ricardo Aguilar.
Mr Aguilar urged other countries to undertake similar studies in order to improve their understanding and protection of marine environments.
Meanwhile, the project partners are calling on people to preserve the Maltese marine environment.
The expedition filmed several cases of marine pollution. Plastic waste was prevalent close to the shore, while discarded fishing gear, such as lines and weights, was common offshore. In fact, some of the dives had to be abandoned because the underwater robot used for the expedition risked entanglement.
In other areas dominated by calcareous red algae (rhodoliths), there were signs of damage by bottom trawling and mooring.
The Life Baħar for N2K project is co-financed by the EU LIFE+ Funding Programme. It is led by the Environment and Resources Authority, the Environment Ministry, the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Biology at the University of Malta and Oceana in partnership.