Key aspects of the three case studies
| Gouraya | Taza | Tabarka | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 7,842 ha on the western side of the Gulf of Bejaïa, part of the municipality of Bejaïa | 9,603 ha on the north-east coast of Algeria | 327,855 ha on the north-west coast of Tunisia |
| Ecosystem of international relevance | Mediterranean Sea shore ecosystem, cliffs, beaches and sea caves, marine algae | Marine and terrestrial ecosystem with rocky coast, sandy beaches, grottos and springs; underwater columnar basalt | Remarkable biological richness thanks to the presence of rare Mediterranean species; underwater landscape that alternates between posidonia meadows on rocks and sand, photophilous algae and gorgonians |
| Representative marine species | Sperm whales, harbour porpoises, some dolphins | Colonies of different types of corals (black, red) and precious algae forests | Tursiops truncates, Delphinus delphis, Stenella coeruleoalba, Pinna nobilis, Cystoseira caespitosa, Cystoseira compressa |
| Major threats | Anthropogenic pressure due to its proximity to the city of Bejaïa (184,000 inhabitants), consistent port traffic and mass tourism in the summer months | Over-exploitation of marine resources like fish, corals and shells; mass tourism in the summer | Coral exploitation and marketing, poaching, large numbers of boaters and divers; increased anthropogenic pressure with the creation of a track that connects the village of Maaloula to its bay |
| Tourism key features | Mainly domestic, seaside and seasonal tourism (3 million visitors annually) | Mainly domestic, seaside and seasonal tourism; consistent flow of visitors (7 million) in the Jijelian coastal region | Seaside and seasonal tourism, with the presence of both national and international tourists (Slovaks, Czechs, Algerians) |
| Official international recognition | UNESCO – Biosphere Reserve (2004) | UNESCO – Biosphere Reserve | – |
| Legal date of establishment (gazetted, for terrestrial areas) | Decree no 84-327 of 3 November 1984: “Création du Parc National de Gouraya (Wilaya de Bejaïa)” | Decree no 84-328 of 3 November 1984: “Création du Parc National de Taza et de Banc des Kabyles Marine Reserve” | Projected |
| Legal national framework | Law no 11-02 (PAs classification and management) Law no 02-02 (protection of the coastal areas) | Law no 11-02 (PAs classification and management) Law no 02-02 (protection of the coastal areas) | Law no 88-20 of 13 April 1988: “Code forestier” Law no 94-122 of 28 November 1994: “Code de l'aménagement du territoire e de l'urbanisme” Law no 2009-49 of 20 July 2009: “Aires marines et côtières protégées” |
| Zoning |
|
| Projected |
| Governance authority | Directorate General of Forests (DGF) | Directorate General of Forests (DGF) | – |
| Staff capacity | – | – | – |
| Budget capacity | – | – | – |
| Management plan | – | – | – |
| Gouraya | Taza | Tabarka | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 7,842 ha on the western side of the Gulf of Bejaïa, part of the municipality of Bejaïa | 9,603 ha on the north-east coast of Algeria | 327,855 ha on the north-west coast of Tunisia |
| Ecosystem of international relevance | Mediterranean Sea shore ecosystem, cliffs, beaches and sea caves, marine algae | Marine and terrestrial ecosystem with rocky coast, sandy beaches, grottos and springs; underwater columnar basalt | Remarkable biological richness thanks to the presence of rare Mediterranean species; underwater landscape that alternates between posidonia meadows on rocks and sand, photophilous algae and gorgonians |
| Representative marine species | Sperm whales, harbour porpoises, some dolphins | Colonies of different types of corals (black, red) and precious algae forests | Tursiops truncates, |
| Major threats | Anthropogenic pressure due to its proximity to the city of Bejaïa (184,000 inhabitants), consistent port traffic and mass tourism in the summer months | Over-exploitation of marine resources like fish, corals and shells; mass tourism in the summer | Coral exploitation and marketing, poaching, large numbers of boaters and divers; increased anthropogenic pressure with the creation of a track that connects the village of Maaloula to its bay |
| Tourism key features | Mainly domestic, seaside and seasonal tourism (3 million visitors annually) | Mainly domestic, seaside and seasonal tourism; consistent flow of visitors (7 million) in the Jijelian coastal region | Seaside and seasonal tourism, with the presence of both national and international tourists (Slovaks, Czechs, Algerians) |
| Official international recognition | UNESCO – Biosphere Reserve (2004) | UNESCO – Biosphere Reserve | – |
| Legal date of establishment (gazetted, for terrestrial areas) | Decree no 84-327 of 3 November 1984: “Création du Parc National de Gouraya (Wilaya de Bejaïa)” | Decree no 84-328 of 3 November 1984: “Création du Parc National de Taza et de Banc des Kabyles Marine Reserve” | Projected |
| Legal national framework | Law no 11-02 (PAs classification and management) | Law no 11-02 (PAs classification and management) | Law no 88-20 of 13 April 1988: “Code forestier” |
| Zoning | Area of ecological interest Economic exploitation zone Buffer zone | No-take zone Peripheral zone Buffer zone | Projected |
| Governance authority | Directorate General of Forests (DGF) | Directorate General of Forests (DGF) | – |
| Staff capacity | – | – | – |
| Budget capacity | – | – | – |
| Management plan | – | – | – |
Source(s): Adapted from Niccolini et al. (2019)
Table created by authors