Canal de Menorca

The islands of Mallorca and Menorca are connected by a continental shelf with an average depth of 80 metres and a maximum depth of 130 metres. The shelf’s seabed comprises habitats associated with coral and algal communities. These habitats are ecologically important and fragile, as they consist of slow-growing and regenerating species. Moreover, there are other habitats of soft red algae in the area, such as Osmundaria volubilis beds, which are exceptionally rare in the Mediterranean, and Peyssonnelia beds, which are well-represented. Overall, the environmental, ecological, and conservation status of these habitats, which comprise over 60% of the Menorca channel basin, is considered excellent. However, some sectors face a threat from trawling, which could have an irreversible impact on communities with limited resilience.