Cyprus

One of Cyprus´ most productive and valuable marine areas is the ecosystem that surrounds the UK Sovereign Base on the Akrotiri peninsular in the south of the island. The environment here is characterised by carbon-trapping seagrass beds, rocky coral reefs and sandbars. Warm and cool Mediterranean currents combine to upwell productive water, which leads to high biodiversity.  

The ecosystem supports numerous protected and endangered species, including groupers, sea turtles, guitar sharks and Mediterranean monk seals. But despite its high ecological importance, the marine area of Akrotiri has been overlooked, overfished and insufficiently managed. 

Since 2022, Blue Marine has been working with its partners, the Marine and Environmental Research Laboratory and the Sovereign Base Authorities (SBA), to create a management plan for a marine protected area (MPA) that will enable the restoration of marine life and provide a sustainable resource for artisanal, small-scale fisheries.  

The preliminary phase of the project was hugely successful: engaging with stakeholders; developing a joint-management committee; collecting data about the biodiversity; monitoring species and mapping the proposed MPA and key habitats, including their vulnerability to fishing and climate change.  

From mobula rays to underwater caves lined with sponges and corals, we also collected film and imagery of the marine life in Akrotiri — most of which had not previously been seen by the authorities and people living in the area.  

Keeping local communities informed about the project has been fundamental to Blue Marine’s work — explaining why an MPA is crucial and how it will improve local livelihoods. Working with the UK Foreign Office and Blue Belt team, we aim to priorise Akrotiri for protection. 

A full report and MPA proposal, with the support of the SBA, has been submitted to decision-makers, with the aim of achieving designation within two years and then passing management over to the relevant authorities. During the project, we developed sustainable financing mechanisms, with the potential to support the MPA in perpetuity.