The Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (MARD) wishes to clarify the following in relation to the sighting of a dead seal spotted yesterday in the area of Moni in Limassol:
Personnel of the CDF and the YMCA, after receiving information about the discovery of a dead seal in the Monastery, immediately went to the area where they verified the presence of a dead seal. It was a young juvenile seal 2-3 years old. The dead seal was immediately transported to the Veterinary Services of the YMCA, where an autopsy will be performed in order to determine the cause of death if possible.
The monitoring of the species and the measures taken over time have resulted in the reintroduction and confirmation of the breeding activity of the Mediterranean monk seal in Cyprus since 2001. In fact, since 2011 an increase in the frequency of its breeding activity has been observed, resulting in an increase in the number of individuals found in the waters of Cyprus from 5-6 individuals recorded in 2009 to 19 individuals today. The fact that a dead individual was found is not unprecedented as there have been dead animals in the past. With the accession of Cyprus to the EU, as a Member State, under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), marine areas have been included in the European Natura 2000 network, which are important for the conservation and protection of marine protected species including the Mediterranean seal which is a priority species.
Among the measures to protect the Mediterranean monk seal, the TAFE has identified the most important coastal areas for the species and has recently consulted stakeholders on the establishment of additional Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
It is very important that people and society are allied to the work carried out by the TAFE in protecting the marine environment. The presence of such priority species as the Mediterranean Seal is proof of the good ecological status of our marine environment.
(NΓ/EXP)
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