Two awareness campaigns to highlight the value of the marine and coastal protected areas of the Natura 2000 Network. The sailing campaign will cover the protected areas of the Mediterranean coast of Andalusia, Murcia, the Balearic Islands, Valencia and Catalonia, and the Citizen Science campaign will include 14 training workshops.
The LIFE A-MAR project’s main objective is to reinforce the value of the marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network in order to make them well-known sites of public interest, while helping to ensure that the uses and activities carried out in these areas are compatible with their conservation.
The proper state of conservation of these Natura 2000 Network areas depends on their management and the sustainability of the economic activities that are carried out, which is why the project aims to improve the perception and respect for these spaces through the knowledge, participation and commitment of all users of the sea. This includes sectors such as tourism, fishing, diving, nautical-recreational activities and local communities.
In this context, two important activities will be promoted in Spain in 2025. The first one consists of a sailing campaign that will cover 10 protected areas along Mediterranean waters for 30 days between May and June. It will begin in the port of Cartagena and will make stops at Cabo de Palos (Murcia), Javea (Valencia), Puerto de la Savina (Formentera), Puerto de Ibiza (Ibiza), Puerto de Andraxt (Mallorca), Puerto de Mahón (Menorca), Pollença (Alcudía), Roses (Girona), San Carles de la Ràpita (Tarragona), and San José (Almería). During the campaign, guided tours will be organised, designed to offer an educational experience by connecting participants with the natural and scenic values of the protected areas visited.

Aerial view of Encalladora and Massa d’Or island in Cap de Creus, Cadaqués, Spain
Each visit will combine environmental interpretation, active participation and enjoyment of the area, highlighting the importance of conserving these unique ecosystems. Through these routes, visitors will be made aware of biodiversity, scientific knowledge of the environment, ecological balance and the current challenges in the sustainable management of these spaces.
In addition, participatory meetings will be organised with local stakeholders. With this analysis, the stakeholders themselves are expected to propose specific actions to improve the environment. Strategies will be defined to promote sustainable and responsible good practices that contribute to the conservation of the area and the development of activities compatible with its natural values. Finally, training activities will also be carried out for professionals from economic sectors such as nautical-recreational activities, tour operators and others linked to the marine environment. The final objective is to reinforce the perception of this network of protected marine areas, to explain the obligations derived from the Birds and Habitats Directives and to show the opportunities that this network offers to the blue economy.
CITIZEN SCIENCE
Another activity to be launched in 2025 will be a citizen science campaign that will include 14 workshops in different areas of the Spanish coastline that have a marine protected area of the Natura 2000 Network. Its main objective is to promote citizen science in these areas through awareness-raising, training in observation and data collection on marine biodiversity, carrying out active participation actions. The aim is to mobilise citizens, divers, fishermen, sailors and other users of the sea as key actors in marine conservation. Each workshop will be designed to combine theoretical and practical content adapted to the characteristics of the local actors and the selected areas, and will integrate specific content on the biodiversity of each specific marine area. Alongside the workshops, a major communication and dissemination campaign will be carried out.