Santander Bay (1922)
Spain, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Bahía de Santander
Central coordinates: Latitude: 43.4167, Longitude: -3.7500
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 50
Area of KBA (km2): 48.52158
Protected area coverage (%): 14.13
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A coastal bay with sandbanks and a small island. The site includes a port. Human activities include fishing and tourism.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: This is an important site for migrant waterbirds.
Delineation rationale: 2016-07-12 (BL Secretariat): Isla de Mouro (Mouro islet) was included in this site in the IBA1998 book, but was transferred to ES025 (Islotes de Portios - Isla de Conejera) by Arcos et al (2009) for ecological coherence.
Habitats
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture (50%) | tourism/recreation (25%) | urban/industrial/transport (75%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 5 | |
| Grassland | 5 | |
| Marine Neritic | 30 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 30 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 30 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Main threats are from tourism and urban and industrial development.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Industrial & military effluents | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Ongoing | |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Only in the future | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Only in the future | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Utility & service lines | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Shipping lanes | Ongoing | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Flight paths | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing | |
| Pollution | Garbage & solid waste | Ongoing |