To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the areas in (a) Gibraltar and (b) Cyprus sovereign base areas which meet the requirements for designation as (i) special protection areas and (ii) special areas of conservation under the EC Birds and Habitats Directives. (95233)

The areas which currently meet the requirements for designation as special protection areas (SPA) and special areas of conservation (SAC) in Gibraltar are the Rock of Gibraltar Site of Community Importance (SCI)¹ and the Southern Waters of Gibraltar SCI.

There are also two potential SPAs² in Gibraltar which are currently the subject of a consultation process.

British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) on Cyprus are not subject to “Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora” (the Habitats Directive) and Council Directive “79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds” (the Birds Directive). However, the Administration take environmental management issues seriously and have, for example, taken steps to designate the Akrotiri Salt Lake, the largest aquatic system in Cyprus, as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.

Currently available information suggests that the following areas would qualify as SPAs and SACs:

i. Akrotiri Peninsula (SPA and SAC)

ii. Areas within the boundaries of Episkopi village including the Garrison Episkopi Forest and the coastline (SPA and SAC)

iii. Cape Pyla (SAC with some features that probably qualify as SPA)

iv. Akhna Dam (a very small part within the SBA as SPA).

¹ Sites of Community Importance are candidate SACs which have been adopted by the European Commission.

² Potential SPAs are sites which have received ministerial approval for consultation, the results of which will form the basis for final classification.