Strait of Gibraltar (18)
Gibraltar (to UK), Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1c, B1, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Strait of Gibraltar
Central coordinates: Latitude: 36.0667, Longitude: -5.3333
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 171.06057
Protected area coverage (%): 32.16
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Strait of Gibraltar is defined here as the sea area demarcated in the west by a straight line joining Cape Trafalgar on the European coast with Cape Spartel on the North African coast, and in the east by a straight line joining the Rock of Gibraltar on the European coast to Ceuta (enclave of Spain) on the North African coast. It includes international waters and waters under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom, Spain and Morocco, and is 15 km wide at its narrowest point.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: Hundreds of thousands of birds that migrate between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic over the sea pass through the Strait of Gibraltar, including highly significant numbers of Calonectris diomedea, Larus audouinii and Fratercula arctica.
Delineation rationale: 2014-02-27 (BL Secretariat): site area of 17000 ha calculated from KBA polygon, rounded to nearest 10%.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture | tourism/recreation | urban/industrial/transport
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Heavy commercial shipping traffic carries with it the threat of major oil spills (`Other threat', above). 4,900 ha of the territorial waters of the United Kingdom are proposed as a SPA under the EC Birds Directive, and as a SAC under the EC Habitats Directive. Commercial fishing is prohibited in these territorial waters, and protection is afforded to cetaceans, turtles, birds and other marine life.