Filfla islet (46)
Malta, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Filfla islet
Central coordinates: Latitude: 35.7667, Longitude: 14.4167
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 60
Area of KBA (km2): 0.06588
Protected area coverage (%): 99.23
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: An offshore islet of calcareous rock, mainly upper coralline limestone, which is bounded by cliffs and screes. The top of the islet is a plateau which is not easily accessible from below. The screes of loose boulders and rock debris surrounding the base of the cliff result mainly from past bombing practice by the military (up to 1971). Shore erosion due to wind and wave action is a predominant feature.
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: The screes have proved to be ideal breeding sites for Hydrobates pelagicus, and the islet supports one of the largest colonies in the Mediterranean. Other breeding seabirds include Calonectris diomedea and Larus cachinnans; the latter is the main predator on Hydrobates pelagicus and several tens of pairs breed below the cliffs.
Habitats
Land use: not utilised (100%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Numbers of Hydrobates pelagicus are probably decreasing after storms washed away some of the scree. Scientists visit the islet two or three times a year during the breeding season to ring and census birds. The Nature Reserve was established in 1988, but no management plan exists. Permission has to be obtained in order to land on the island and to carry out any activities; permits are only granted for scientific and educational purposes. Legal Notice to Mariners No. 16 of 1987 prohibits the berthing or navigation of any craft within an area of one nautical mile radius off Filfla as well as swimming, underwater activities and any activity connected with fishing and trawling. This notice was superceded by Government Notice No. 173 of 1990 which permits fishing from surface vessels within one nautical mile off Filfla.