Many species of wetlands, as well as seabirds, marine mammals, turtles and the phanerogamous Posidonia oceanica are protected under the Fisheries Act Chapter 135, the National Fisheries Act 1971, the European Habitats Directive (92/43/ EEC), the European Birds Directive (2009/147/EC), the Barcelona Convention, the Ramsar Convention, etc. The measure implements the National and International legislations for the protection of species and habitats.Important habitats, including Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows are protected under the Fisheries Law (CHAP. 135), the European Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), the Barcelona Convention, the Ramsar Convention, etc. The protection of habitats with management measures and the definition of protected areas has contributed to the achievement of the environmental goals and the GES.The measures taken include establishing SPAs and banning activities that adversely affect marine ecosystems. The knowledge gap regarding habitats up to the 50 meters depth has been addressed by the completion of Measure 13 """"Mapping and assessment of Posidonia oceanica meadows and other important marine habitats under the European Habitats Directive (92/43/EC) , in the coastal waters of Cyprus"""" and this information has already been used for habitat protection with proposals for the establishment of a new N2K marine area and for the extension of an existing one. There is a knowledge gap for some marine habitats beyond 50 meters depth in the maritime territory of the Republic of Cyprus and the monitoring programs that will be implemented will derive new measures to protect these habitats. The mapping of habitats of the Habitats Directive in specific marine areas up to 200 meters of water depth (e.g. possible areas of presence of maerlbeds) will be completed in the period 2023-2024. Special Objective 1.6 of the 2021-2027 EMFAF is relevant. The aim is to continue the mapping and recording of possible sensitive offshore areas of interest which will be completed in the period 2023-2026.

The National Legislation (the Fisheries Law and Regulations) and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) are the main legal mechanisms for the management of fish stocks in the waters of the Republic of Cyprus. Achieving Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) is highly dependent on the success of fisheries management measures under the revised CFP. The Republic of Cyprus implements the data collection framework of the European Union (DCF), Regulation (EC) No. 199/2008 and the subsequent Regulation (EU) 2017/1004. Detailed information on the implementation of the National Data Collection Program is available on the DFMR website. The data collection includes catch and fishing effort data, biological data on fish stocks, as well as data on the economic status of the fishing fleet, aquaculture and the processing sector. These data are used to prepare scientific studies and reports on the assessment of the state of fisheries resources, the impact of fishing on the marine environment, the economic viability of fishing fleets and the relationship between fishing fleets and exploited fishing resources. Based on the studies and relevant reports, the best available scientific advice is provided to achieve the objective of sustainable management of fisheries resources. The national work programs for data collection are based on an EU legislative framework and have been co-financed by the EU since 2014. The national programs are financially supported by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) 2014-2020 and the EMFAF 2021-2027. Measures to reduce the impact of fishing are financed by National Resources and the EMFAF 2021 – 2027. Measures implemented in relation to fishing: • The artisanal fleet has been reduced by 35%. • Reduction of catches below the minimum size. According to Regulatory Administrative Act 47/2018 based on National Legislation the minimum size of the opening of the mesh of the static bottom nets has been established. The opening of the mesh of the bottom trawl nets will be changed from 50 mm diamond to 40 mm square at the cod-end of the net. • Restrictions on the use of certain types of nets. Restrictions based on National Legislation on the use of certain types of nets regarding the total length and the opening of the mesh of the nets [Fisheries Regulations 1990-2012, 7-(4)]. • Limiting the use of trawl nets (trawls) in selected areas. The measure has been implemented since 2004 in all waters of the Republic of Cyprus. It is a continuous measure to reduce trawl fishing activity in accordance with EU legislation (EC No.1967/2006) for the protection of marine habitats such as Posidonia seagrass beds and maerlbeds. The Measures that have led to restrictions on the use of trawl nets (trawls) in the coastal fishing zone are: Prohibition of fishing within the 50-meter isobath, (Fishing Regulations 1990-2012, Regulation 21-(1). Prohibition of fishing with bottom trawl at a distance of less than 0.7 nautical miles from the coast, in case the 50-meter isobath is located at a shorter distance from the coast (EC 1967/2006, Article 13 (1), (5). Prohibition of fishing with bottom trawls and purse seiners (circular nets) in the Zygi Marine Area (Regulatory Administrative Act 506/2020). Prohibition of transit by bottom trawlers at a distance equal to or less than 5 nautical miles from the coast, in the sea area from Cape Pomos to Cape Arnaoutis from the 8th of November to the 15th of February and in the sea area from Dekelia to Kapparis from the 16th of February to 31st of May inclusive, every year. (Regulatory Administrative Act. 1/2012). Five-month closed period for bottom trawlers between June 1st and November 7th in all territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus based on national legislation. Prohibition of fishing in the area of Eratosthenes as defined in Community Regulation EC 1343/2011. Restrictions on pelagic fishing in accordance with the recommendations of ICCAT. Prohibition of fishing in areas of Artificial Reefs. Restrictions on the use of bottom-set gillnets, in waters less than 5 meters, where temporal and spatial restrictions are applied [Regulatory Administrative Act 416/2019]. Measures concerning recreational fishing based on the Legislation and the conditions of the Recreational Fishing Licenses. Measures concerning spatial restrictions in relation to fishing and/or the transit and/or anchoring of vessels in the area of aquaculture facilities operating in a marine area (Regulation 14), around the perimeter of the entrance of any fishing shelter (Regulatory Administrative Act 83/94), less than 500 meters from the Zenovia shipwreck (Regulatory Administrative Act 379/2021), in the sea area around the pipeline of the desalination plant (Regulatory Administrative Act 379/2021), in bathing areas and in MPAs and MPA with AR as defined in the Legislation.

Since 1978, the DFMR implements the Cyprus Turtle Conservation Project centered at the Lara Station in the Akamas Penisnula. The project aims at: 1) protecting of adult turtles; 2) protecting the turtle eggs and hatchlings from natural predation such as foxes and also from human activities; 3) protecting and conservation of the remaining reproductive biotopes; 4) monitoring of the turtle population dynamics and their reproductive and nesting activity in Cyprus and 5) raising public awareness for the protection and conservation of turtles and the marine environment in general. The Lara/ Toxeftra Reserve has been accepted and included in the catalog of the Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) Catalog under the Protocol for the Special Protected Areas and Biodiversity in the Mediterranean, after a relevant suggestion of the DFMR to the Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention (Map of SPAMIs). Sea turtles and their eggs are protected by the Fisheries Law (CHAP. 135) and Regulations 1990 (273/90) since 1971 and the protection of their habitat in the Laras-Toxeutras area has been ensured since 1989, with the management measures presented in the Regulations of the same Law. Within the protected area of Lara - Toxeutra from June 1st to September 30th it is prohibited: - to place umbrellas, beds, tents, caravans and/or any other paraphernalia, - remain on the beach and coastal area during the night, starting one hour before sunset - fishing in any way (nets, spearguns, etc. except with a rod from the shore) Always prohibited in the protected area of Lara - Toxeutras: - driving any vehicle on the beaches. - collecting crabs from the beach which are a protected species throughout Cyprus - pollution (littering) - lighting a fire (coals, etc.) It is also prohibited to pass or anchor a boat in the area from May 1st until October 31st. Holders of a commercial small-scale inshore fishing license are exempt from the passage ban in May and October of each year. Implenetation of the UNEP Agreement """" Action Plan for the conservation of Mediterranean marine turtles"""". Sea Turtle Protection measures are expected to continue to be implemented including guidelines, and monitoring of turtle hatchlings and where appropriate post-mortem examination. To cover knowledge gaps that may lead to new measures for the protection of sea turtles, a Program will be conducted (2024-2025) to investigate the feeding and wintering areas of the permanent population of adult and juvenile Sea Turtles of the Green Turtle Chelonia mydas and loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta. In the framework of the LIFE IP-Physis project, the DFMR in order to further investigate the migration of sea turtles, will purchase telemetry transmitters which will be placed on the shells of sea turtles. These transmitters will provide information via satellites on the movements of the turtles in the coastal marine areas of the island, their potential feeding areas, as well as the migratory corridors used by the turtles in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. The collection of these data will lead to taking possible measures to mitigate the threats to these species in terms of their vital functions such as reproduction and food availability and their main causes of mortality.

Measures to protect cetaceans include implementation of the ACCOBAMS guidelines on hydrocarbon exploitation activities, with the aim of protecting cetaceans. The use of the """"soft-start"""" method during seismic surveys is followed to allow cetaceans time to move away from the area (terms of Opinion - The Opinion of the Environmental Authority determine the environmental aspects that should be incorporated into the plan or programme or specific variations to ensure the protection of the environment, such as the control and monitoring of environmental impacts during implementation). On the website of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research there is posted a relevant ACCOBAMS document """"Methodological Guide - Guidance on Underwater Noise Mitigation Measures"""". The aforementioned guidance document includes terms of the Opinion issued by the Department of the Environment for offshore operations (e.g. for the exploration of hydrocarbons in the Cypriot EEZ) in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment of Certain Projects Laws of 2018 and 2021 (N.127(I)/2018, Ν.23(I)/2021), as well as the Environmental Impact Assessment of Certain Plans and/or Programs Law of 2005 (Ν. 102(I)/2005). These two Laws are respectively the implementation Laws of Directives 2011/92/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans of public and private projects on the environment and 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the environmental effects of certain plans and programs. The Directive was transposed into the National Legislation in 2005 with the Law on the assessment of the effects on the environment of certain plans and/or programs (N. 102(Ι)/2005). Also, the Fishing Regulations Regulatory Administrative Act 273/1990 stipulates that it is prohibited to kill, pursue, capture, buy, sell or possess a dolphin. At the same time, a relevant application (Mobile Application) of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, Cy-FIS, has been created for """"smart"""" mobile telephony devices where information about strandings or sightings of protected species, including cetaceans, can be sent. The application was developed for the DFMR and was co-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014-2020 - Action 3.1.7 of Article 76.2, of Measure 3.1 - Control and Enforcement of the Operational Program (OP) """"Sea 2014-2020"""". Through this app, in cases where there are injured cetaceans or cetaceans that are stranded, then DFMR Officers and Inspectors in collaboration with the Veterinary Services take the necessary actions to protect them. The DFMR implements a Stranding network program in accordance to obligations of ACCOBAMS. The stranding program incorporates the participation of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research with the assistance in relation to necropsies of the Veterinary Services. The network also has information provided by enterprises operating in the marine environment including fishermen that report strandings to the DFMR.

The implementation of the Mediterranean Seal Monitoring Program to monitor possible human pressures on its population provides the necessary information to take measures to protect the Mediterranean Seal with fishing and boat transit bans. Since 2010, a Monitoring Group has been established which records all the shelters used by the species along the entire length of the Cypriot coastline and with the help of special equipment monitoring is carried out on a 24-hour basis. At the same time, information is collected on the lifestyle of the species, in order not only to protect its population in Cyprus, but also to assist in the recovery of their population. The purpose of the Mediterranean Seal Monitoring Program is to: 1. to record the habitats suitable for the Mediterranean seal in Cyprus (ie terrestrial and marine) which should be effectively protected from fishing, tourism and development. 2. to record human activities around breeding sites in order to draw up measures to limit this activity by creating protection areas with the prohibition of fishing and the transit of boats 3. to establish and improve a monitoring plan for the Mediterranean seal in Cyprus, including the further development of the national information network, in conjunction with a rescue and rehabilitation plan for sick or injured seals and the involvement of competent public authorities and appropriate stakeholders. 4. conduct awareness campaigns focused on the general public and fishermen The information collected from the monitoring program is used to establish protection zones for the species with management measures of no fishing and vessel transit. Specifically, since 2016, four MPAs have been defined for the protection of the Mediterranean Seal: ● Regulatory Administrative Act 28/2019 – The Prohibition of Fishing and Vessel transit in the Marine Protected Area of the Sea Caves of Pegeia, the Site of Community Importance Akama Peninsula, Decree of 2019 ● Regulatory Administrative Act 414/2021 – On the Prohibition of Fishing and vessel transitin the """"Halabro"""" Marine Protected Area, of the Site of Community Importance Akama Peninsula, Decree of 2021 ● Regulatory Administrative Act 46/2023 On the Prohibition of Fishing and Vessel transit in the Marine Protected Area """"Sea Caves of Ayia Napa"""", First Decree of 2023 ● Regulatory Administrative Act 47/2023 On the Prohibition of Fishing and Vessel transit in the Marine Protected Area """"Agios Georgios Alamanou"""", Second Decree of 2023

The measure concerns the design and implementation of research to improve knowledge gaps on the population dynamics of coastal birds and offshore birds.

The measure concerns the design and implementation of research to improve knowledge gaps on the population dynamics of coastal and offshore cetacean species. An acoustic and visual survey of the marine waters of Cyprus is planned for 2016 in order to assess the populations, distribution and population size of all cetacean species present in the marine waters of Cyprus.

The measure concerns the implementation of studies for the establishment of new protected marine fishing areas to achieve the Biodiversity goals 2030 by: • Protecting breeding grounds and nurseries of commercially important species, in coordination with the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Regulation 1967/2006, • Combined with new artificial reefs to recover fish stocks and reduce pressure on natural reefs, • As ecological corridors, in combination with the installation of new artificial reefs. Establishment of marine protected areas (Natura 2000) within the framework of the Directive on the Conservation of Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora (92/43/EC) and the Protocol on Specially Protected Areas of Biodiversity in the Mediterranean of the Barcelona Convention. So far, 7 coastal Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been established within the Natura 2000 network (Habitats Directive, 92/43/EEC EU-HD) for the protection of Annex I habitats. The measure also involves the establishment within MPA of artificial reefs,structures intentionally placed on the seabed, which aim to mimic the properties provided by a natural reef such as shelter, nutrition, reproduction, growth and increase in size and number of the population of living marine organisms. The Artificial reefs (AR) withn MPAs measures consists of a group of actions /projects co-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) - Operational Program """"SEA 2014-2020"""" and the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021-2027. It involves the creation of new AFs and/or the upgrading and enrichment of existing AFs with new sections. It includes actions related to the preparation and implementation of management plans, monitoring and surveillance, public awareness, information and education and will further promote the protection and management of the coastal marine ecosystems.

Management measures have been established/proposed for the """"SAC Thalassia Periochi Moulia - CY4000006” and """" SAC Thalassia Periochi Nisia CY3000006"""" marine areas, of the N2K network, which include various management measures, through the Nature and Wildlife Protection and Management Law of 2003 (N. 153(I) /2003), while for the rest of the areas they are in their implementation stage. Within these measures there are regulations concerning various human activities and projects such as for example the anchoring of boats, fishing, the construction of breakwaters, etc. MPAs were established under the 'Fisheries Act' and management plans established under Ordinances include regulations / prohibitions in relation to fishing, the passage of vessels or other watercraft (including non-motorised) and their mooring. The measure will contribute to the evaluation and definition of new management measures for MPAs including the offshore MPA """"Oceanis"""" which will take into account the limits of Good Environmental Status. Since the institutional creation of the first MPA with AR until 2023, at the six AR existing there has been enrichment with constructions of artificial reefs. In the context of the implementation of the Operational Program Thalassa 2014-2020 which is completed at the end of 2023, as well as in the context of other initiatives (INTERREG in 2022) these areas have been enriched. Also in 2022, a scientific monitoring program was completed, while there is an ongoing process of marking the areas in order to more effectively monitor them. With regard to the management of the MPAs with AR, based on Article 5A of the Fisheries Law, the DFMR will proceed with the creation of management plans for these areas in order to regulate human activities, the transit of vessels and to create operating rules in these areas.

The measure concerns the Establishment of Special Protection Areas (SPA) for the protection of seabird populations in the coastal and offshore zone. To date, based on Article 7 of the Protection and Management of Wild Birds and Game Laws of 2003 to 2020 (N.152(I)/2003) the following SPA’s have been established: ● 2005 SPA “Akrotirio Aspro - Petra Romiou” (Site Code: CY5000005) ● 2021 SPA “Oceanid” (Site Code: CY4000024) and ● 2021 SPA “Kavo Gkreko"""" (CY3000010) (extension of an existing SPA area in the context of the implementation of the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC). The evaluation of the results of the 30-month bird survey (2021-2023) co-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014-2020 may lead to proposals for new SPAs and/or extension of the boundaries of existing SPAs. The research was conducted in the coastal and marine area of a 50 nautical mile strip of the western and southern coasts of Cyprus, co-financed by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014-2020 with the following actions: ● Capture-Collect-Analyse existing seabird data from other programs ● Seabird census (ESAS methodology, Coastal and offshore records) ● Spatio-temporal (GIS) maps of seabird distribution and delineation of important foraging grounds using telemetry ● Diet analysis of selected seabird species with an emphasis on the cormorant A new survey is expected to be implemented to investigate the populations of Seabirds by the end of 2027 which, among other things, is expected to include actions to detect pollutant loads in selected seabird species, and assessment of the possible incidental bycatch of seabirds in fishing gear. The research will be funded by EMFAF 2021-2027 under Special Objective 4.1, """"Investigation and monitoring of D1 Biodiversity in the territorial waters and the EEZ of the Republic of Cyprus"""".