Thanks to the scientific data provided by the Institute it has been possible to confirm the ecological and geological uniqueness of the enclave, which has led the authorities to prohibit fishing in the area from 2024.
The Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) of Barcelona, in collaboration with the non-governmental organization Oceana, has managed to protect from fishing activites the large cold-water coral reef of Cabliers, considered the only known example of a deep-sea reef preserved in an almost pristine state in the Mediterranean. Located between 300 and 400 meters water depth in the Alboran Sea, this reef is a living structure that rises up to 100 meters from the surrounding seafloor and extends for about 25 kilometers.
The Cabliers reef, located between the waters of Morocco, Spain and Algeria, began to form some 500,000 years ago and, according to experts, is still alive and growing in thriving conditions today. Scientific data provided by the ICM-CSIC confirm the ecological and geological uniqueness of the site, which has led to the prohibition, as of 2024, of all fishing activities that may alter the seabed in an area of approximately 400 square kilometers.
Claudio Lo Iacono, ICM-CSIC researcher who has dedicated years to the study of this reef, emphasizes:
"The most surprising thing about this reef is its almost perfect preservation over time. In all these years, we have found no evidence of human activities, not even plastic waste, which is extremely rare in the Mediterranean and explains the great biodiversity that this enclave harbors".
This exceptional state of conservation is partly attributed to the reef's remoteness from the coast, as it is located eight hours from Cabo de Gata and about four hours from Morocco, which has deterred the presence of fishing boats. In addition, the morphological complexity of the environment has historically prevented trawlers from fishing in the area.
"The Cabliers reef is a natural nursery for commercially valuable species such as lobster or sea bream, which live in the shelter of deep corals. The colonies they form constitute complex structures that act as sanctuaries for numerous associated species. It's like discovering an oasis full of life in the deep sea," adds Lo Iacono.
The decision to protect the enclave was recently taken during the annual meeting of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), composed of 22 countries bordering the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the European Union.
The meeting also agreed on a series of measures to act against illegal trawling activities in restricted areas, including the implementation of a system that requires Commission members to demonstrate effective controls over their fleets and to carry out proper reporting of their catches.
“Data from the field show that the plans are making a real difference towards sustainability targets,”says Valérie Lainé, from the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission (DG-MARE), who adds that “it’s very encouraging to see the impact of our shared efforts”.
"The designation of Cabliers as a Fisheries Restricted Area (FRA) marks a major breakthrough for the conservation of deep Mediterranean ecosystems, especially in terms of transboundary initiatives where EU and African countries collaborate to improve the management of our marine resources," welcomes from his part Lo Iacono.
While Cabliers is the most prominent reef, it is not the only deep coral reef in the Mediterranean. There are other smaller, but equally important in terms of biodiversity. In fact, the uniqueness of these reefs has motivated the deployment, in the framework of both national and international projects led by the ICM-CSIC, of underwater observatories that monitor and unveil the physical, sedimentary and ecological processes that control these habitats.