SPA in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura Islands

¿What is a SPA?

It is a site in the European Union that hosts populations of birds that make its conservation and correct management necessary. More specifically, the aim is to conserve the 181 species of autochthonous protected birds listed in Annex I of the Birds Directive, as well as their habitats. Those areas used on a regular basis by migrants must be protected too.

¿Why are SPA necessary ?

P Because birds of the European territory are a valuable common heritage whose protection implies shared responsibilities, as they overlap administrative borders. Hence, all the member states of the European Union have committed to conserving the most adequate sites, in sufficient number and extension, to guarantee the survival of birds.

¿Who designates SPA ?

SEO/BirdLife has compiled an inventary of Important Bird Areas ( IBA ), those sites that fulfill scientific requirements for their designation as SPA , but it is up to the Regional Governments to declare them officially as SPAs. Eventually, each member state informs the European Commission on the newly designated SPAs and then these enter inmediately the Nature 2000 Network. The European Commission advises to make use of the IBA listing for the establishing of the SPAs network.

This table contains provisional information as the Government of the Canary Islands is currently revising the existing SPAs network and drafting a new proposal.