Bases for identification of marine IBAs and Natura 2000 sites
Identification of marine IBAs (which represent bases for Natura 2000 sites) is being implemented according to internationally agreed and standardised criteria established by the BirdLife International. The criteria are based on data about distribution and size of bird populations and their status.
The identification of marine IBAs with the Mediterranean Shag as a qualifying species is based on criterion A4, which concerns the sites that hold on regular bases congregations of more than 1% of the biogeographical population.
Four research actions are being implemented in the project SIMARINE-NATURA, which aim at gathering data on numbers, distribution and diet of Mediterranean Shags in Slovenian sea:
– Monitoring of communal roosts
– Monitoring at sea according to the ESAS method