Among decapod crustaceans are abundant the small slipper lobster Scyllarus
pygmaeus; several hermit crabs, such as Paguristes eremita and Dardanus arrosor;
and numerous species of crabs, among them Ebalia spp. and Parthenopoides
massena. To summarize, rhodoliths are a real microcosm which houses a great
diversity of small invertebrates which thrive through the labyrinth of crevices and
are still poorly studied (Gofas et al. 2014a). In the Seco de los Olivos, rhodoliths are
covered in some areas by small sessile invertebrates (sponges, hydrozoans, bryozoans), whereas in other areas, they show a dense covering of alcyonaceans
(Alcyonium palmatum and Paralcyonium spinulosum), large sponges (Chondrosia
reniformis, Aplysina aerophoba, Axinella polypoides, Tedania sp.) and gorgonians
(Paramuricea clavata, Eunicella verrucosa) and even black corals (Antipathella
subpinnata) or bryozoans (Reteporella grimaldii, Omalosecosa ramulosa). Echinoderms like Echinus melo, Holothuria forskali and Chaetaster longipes are common
(de la Torriente et al. 2014). Demersal fish associated with “maërl” beds around
Cabo de Gata-Níjar and on the Alboran insular platform are Scorpaena notata,
S. scrofa and Chelidonichthys lastoviza (Luque and Templado 2004; Ramos Esplá
and Luque 2008; Gofas et al. 2014a).
The importance of “maërl” beds has been acknowledged by several national or
international agreements, binding or not. The OSPAR commission has included
“Maërl beds” habitat on the OSPAR List of Threatened and/or Declining Species
and Habitats (OSPAR agreement 2008-6; see OSPAR Commission 2010). Regarding the Mediterranean Sea, the Council Regulation (EC) 1967/2006, concerning
management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the
Mediterranean Sea (Council of the European Union 2006), prohibited fishing with
trawl nets, dredges, shore seines or similar nets above coralligenous habitats and
“mäerl”/rhodolith beds. In addition to this legally binding regulation, the European
Commission’s “Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries Opinion on Sensitive and Essential Fish Habitats in the Mediterranean Sea” has recognized “maërl” beds as a priority item among “sensitive fish habitats in the
Mediterranean Sea” defined as “fragile habitats that are recognized internationally
as ecologically important and which support important assemblages of commercial
and non-commercial fish species and which may require special protection”
(European Commission 2006). Following this, “Association with rhodoliths (including all of its facies)” is listed as “Essential Marine Habitat (EMH) of relevance for
the management of priority species” by the Scientific Advisory Committee of the
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean 2009). Despite this and the clamour of the scientific
community (Barberá et al. 2003; Otero and Basso 2016), “maërl”/rhodolith beds
have no recognition at all in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive.
The Spanish Law 5/2007 of 3 April 2007 of the National Parks network includes
“maërl” beds as a marine natural system required to be represented in the network.
Finally, the Order APA/767/2018, of June 19, 2018, modifies the Order of
8 September 1998 and expands the prohibition of trawling in the Marine Reserve
of Alboran Island in depths lower than 100 m (70 m in the former 1998 Order),
specifically targeted to protect the rhodolith beds, which extend down to 100–110 m
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
333
pygmaeus; several hermit crabs, such as Paguristes eremita and Dardanus arrosor;
and numerous species of crabs, among them Ebalia spp. and Parthenopoides
massena. To summarize, rhodoliths are a real microcosm which houses a great
diversity of small invertebrates which thrive through the labyrinth of crevices and
are still poorly studied (Gofas et al. 2014a). In the Seco de los Olivos, rhodoliths are
covered in some areas by small sessile invertebrates (sponges, hydrozoans, bryozoans), whereas in other areas, they show a dense covering of alcyonaceans
(Alcyonium palmatum and Paralcyonium spinulosum), large sponges (Chondrosia
reniformis, Aplysina aerophoba, Axinella polypoides, Tedania sp.) and gorgonians
(Paramuricea clavata, Eunicella verrucosa) and even black corals (Antipathella
subpinnata) or bryozoans (Reteporella grimaldii, Omalosecosa ramulosa). Echinoderms like Echinus melo, Holothuria forskali and Chaetaster longipes are common
(de la Torriente et al. 2014). Demersal fish associated with “maërl” beds around
Cabo de Gata-Níjar and on the Alboran insular platform are Scorpaena notata,
S. scrofa and Chelidonichthys lastoviza (Luque and Templado 2004; Ramos Esplá
and Luque 2008; Gofas et al. 2014a).
The importance of “maërl” beds has been acknowledged by several national or
international agreements, binding or not. The OSPAR commission has included
“Maërl beds” habitat on the OSPAR List of Threatened and/or Declining Species
and Habitats (OSPAR agreement 2008-6; see OSPAR Commission 2010). Regarding the Mediterranean Sea, the Council Regulation (EC) 1967/2006, concerning
management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the
Mediterranean Sea (Council of the European Union 2006), prohibited fishing with
trawl nets, dredges, shore seines or similar nets above coralligenous habitats and
“mäerl”/rhodolith beds. In addition to this legally binding regulation, the European
Commission’s “Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries Opinion on Sensitive and Essential Fish Habitats in the Mediterranean Sea” has recognized “maërl” beds as a priority item among “sensitive fish habitats in the
Mediterranean Sea” defined as “fragile habitats that are recognized internationally
as ecologically important and which support important assemblages of commercial
and non-commercial fish species and which may require special protection”
(European Commission 2006). Following this, “Association with rhodoliths (including all of its facies)” is listed as “Essential Marine Habitat (EMH) of relevance for
the management of priority species” by the Scientific Advisory Committee of the
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean 2009). Despite this and the clamour of the scientific
community (Barberá et al. 2003; Otero and Basso 2016), “maërl”/rhodolith beds
have no recognition at all in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive.
The Spanish Law 5/2007 of 3 April 2007 of the National Parks network includes
“maërl” beds as a marine natural system required to be represented in the network.
Finally, the Order APA/767/2018, of June 19, 2018, modifies the Order of
8 September 1998 and expands the prohibition of trawling in the Marine Reserve
of Alboran Island in depths lower than 100 m (70 m in the former 1998 Order),
specifically targeted to protect the rhodolith beds, which extend down to 100–110 m
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
333