Cabinet approved this Tuesday the master plan of the Spanish Network of Marine Protected Areas (RAMPE) to boost biodiversity within protected zones, enhance their effective stewardship, and ensure the areas are well connected. According to Teresa Ribera, the third vice-president of the government, the plan includes evaluating the effects of renewable energy projects and fishing activities on marine ecosystems, with the aim of building a climate-resilient ocean system.
The administration has also endorsed a set of minimum common criteria for RAMPE governance. RAMPE was created in 2010 to add value to the places it encompasses through protection, restoration of natural heritage, and preservation of biodiversity.
To achieve these goals, the master plan will study potential ecological corridors and interconnected routes, considering maritime boundaries and regional as well as global scales. It will develop pilot schemes for adapting fishing gear, and it will assess how fishing and non-fishing activities interact, including recreation and tourism, mooring, shipping, port operations, aquaculture, renewable energy, sand or mineral extraction, and related activities.
The plan aligns with European directives and regulations on maritime spatial planning, as well as laws that protect natural heritage, biodiversity, and the marine environment.
Sea beds with posidonia meadows in the Mediterranean — a reminder of the delicate balance in these waters.
The objective is to foster an ecologically representative and well-connected network that supports proper conservation of species, habitats, and ecosystems, while ensuring that uses and activities in these areas are compatible with conservation aims.
The master plan will promote the deployment of planning tools for all RAMPE areas and push for a harmonized zoning system based on recommendations prepared in line with the Network’s Biodiversity Strategy. This aligns with European Union plans for 2030.
It also seeks to strengthen management and coordination among administrations through bilateral or multilateral mechanisms, such as the marine biodiversity working group within the Inter-ministerial Marine Strategies Commission.
In addition, the plan supports knowledge exchange and transfer through education and awareness initiatives.
Ensuring compliance with the law
At the same time, it will reinforce regulatory oversight by fostering cooperation among administrations for coordinated surveillance and environmental monitoring. Management tools will feature a system of periodic evaluation using objective, measurable indicators to gauge the degree of conformity.
The plan also envisions the establishment of a Scientific Board to advise the Directorate General for Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification and the Directorate General for Sustainable Fisheries, with input from regional authorities as needed.
The guidelines contained in the Master Plan develop measures for the control and removal of invasive alien species and pay special attention to species under protection, threatened species, and vulnerable habitats listed in the OSPAR framework or the national catalog of endangered habitats.
Fishing in these areas will be regulated to ensure sustainable practices and the protection of cultural values that these waters symbolize.
It is important to guarantee that plans, projects, and activities within RAMPE do not degrade natural habitats or harm species, and that changes do not undermine the values that led to the identification of these zones.
The plan supports commitments made by Spain under the European Union Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and biodiversity considerations were highlighted at the Biodiversity COP15 event held in Montreal, Canada.
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The environmental department remains committed to advancing RAMPE without compromising ecological integrity, monitoring progress, and adapting policies as new scientific knowledge becomes available.