A team from the Sevilla University, directed by the professor José Carlos GarcÃa Gómez, proposes to create an international figure of microsanctuary in the Bay of Algeciras to safeguard the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), listed by the IUCN as in danger in the Mediterranean.
The Algeciras-Gibraltar area is a marine enclave of great importance: The submarine canyon and oceanographic dynamics favor the presence of cetaceans, and its position reinforces the ecological connectivity between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
A microsanctuary for the Bay of Algeciras
The proposal includes a specific protection figure that combines science and management: delimit regulated navigation zones, strengthen monitoring of compliance with standards and deploy signaling in the most sensitive areas.
The tourism and recreational sector has room for improvement with crew training in good approach practices, planning departures according to the presence of cetaceans and avoiding maneuvers that generate Stress in animals.
Sport fishermen are invited to adjust their routines to do not overlap with feeding areas and reduce interference during key periods and points of dolphin activity.
Citizens also add: keep safe distances In sightings, avoid intentional approaches and participate in safety programs. responsible observation or citizen science, which helps reduce the direct impact on animals.
Impacts and scientific basis
For more than three years, the team has accumulated more than 2.400 departures to the sea and a analysis of 500+ sightingsThe data confirms that the increase in vessels, especially in summer, alters behaviors natural of several species of dolphin.
When the rights are not respected approach protocols, groups interrupt essential behaviors such as eating or socializing and move to patterns evasive, with more frequent deep dives, interpreted as escape maneuvers.
In situations of low human pressure The patterns remain stable; it is the coincidence of several vessels without responsible navigation standards that triggers the alterations of the comportamiento.
These results, published in Journal of Environmental Management y Marine Environmental Research, reinforce the urgency of taking action. The researcher Liliana Olaya-Ponzone warns that the repetition of stressful situations can compromise the long-term well-being of the populations.
The authors underline the role Sourcing of the bay in the sustainability of the Andalusian coast and as a Mediterranean-Atlantic link. A microsanctuary like this conceived could become replicable model for other areas of high cetacean density in Europe and North Africa.
With solid data and a clear roadmap, the initiative is committed to balancing human activity and conservation through regulation, education and applied science; the key is in a effective coordination between sectors and in respect for good practices at sea.
