ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROGRAM FOR CRITICAL HABITATS - BIODIVERSITY

Environmental Baseline

Biodiversity Report 2020 - 2021

In the context of Environmental Monitoring and Recording of Critical Environmental Indicators of Biodiversity, such as marine mammals (cetaceans and monk seals), sea turtles and seabirds, HELLENiQ UPSTREAM KYPARISSIAKOS GULF SINGLE MEMBER S.A. has assigned to the company Nature Conservation Consultants (NCC) Ltd to conduct the present Project, namely the “Survey of the Status of Important Fauna Species in the Kyparissiakos Lease area” (Block 10).

The Project consists of 4 work packages (WP):

WP I: Pelagic survey for marine turtles – seals – cetaceans and seabirds at sea with research vessels and ultralight aircraft in order to establish the presence status and abundance of marine species at sea.
WP II: Coastal surveys for monk seal’s pupping sites and seabirds breeding sites in the coastal zones of the adjacent Natura 2000 sites, including mapping the existence of marine caves, appropriate terrestrial habitats and refuges of the Mediterranean Monk seal, as well as recording of their features and environmental characteristics, assessment of the possible use of the refuges by Monk Seal, assessment of sites and populations of seabirds, such as Mediterranean Shag and Scopoli’s Shearwater and, assessment of the conservation status of breeding seabirds in the vicinity of the Kyparissiakos Lease area and identify existing and potential threats.
WP III: Telemetry of marine turtles, including tagging sea turtles with satellite transmitters and attachment of flipper tags in order to carry out post-nesting tracking of breeding turtles and tracking of turtles found inside block 10, and to carry out aerial surveys using drones or ultralight aircraft to determine distribution and density.
WP IV: Telemetry of Scopoli’s Shearwaters breeding on Strofades islets, using GPS/GSM transmitters, in order to monitoring movements of birds in the region, establish movement patterns dueing egg laying, chick rearing and late chick rearing periods, determine the patterns of the species’ space use in the Kyparissiakos lease area, as well as surrounding areas and acquire additional information on the ecology and movements of the species.

Survey of the Status of Important Fauna Species in Block 10 (Kyparissiakos) Lease Area, Final Report 2023, 2023 Interim Report, Final Report 2020-2022

In 2021 and after the completion of field work and based on the individual reports of the above work packages, the Environmental Baseline Biodiversity Study was completed accompanied by a geospatial data base, sampling protocols and the Monitoring Plan.

In order to cover

The present study constitutes one of the most complex and comprehensive surveys for the systematic recording of marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds that have been conducted in Greece, combining visual, acoustic and aerial recordings, search of breeding areas, optical monitoring using telemetry. This Program includes:

Systematic monitoring of the Mediterranean Monk seal at breeding sites in the wider area of research using an inflatable boat with two (2) field researchers and available infrared cameras.
Pelagic recordings of marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds using visual and acoustic methods from floating and aerial means.
Coastal surveys of the breeding areas of the Mediterranean Seal and the Mediterranean Shag (Phalacrocorax Aristotelis) in neighboring Natura 2000 Network areas.
Telemetry of sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and seabirds (Scopoli's shearwater/Artemis)