Filenews 17 June 2024 - by Angelos Nicolaou
Without additional breakwaters, the coastal front from Neo Chorio Pafos to Pachyammos will remain, as the report of the Special Ecological Assessment shows, and therefore other ways must be found to limit the intense erosion observed in the wider area. The project is assessed to have negative, irreversible effects on the species and habitats of the site, and therefore the implementation of the project cannot proceed.
The entire proposed project is approximately 25 km long and is located on the northern coastal front of Cyprus. It is bounded on the west by the rocky outcrop near the Anassa Hotel (Asprogremos area within the boundaries of the Community of Neo Chorio) and on the east by the eastern boundary of Pomos Bay and Pachyammos Community. Department of Public Works and other stakeholders proposed the construction of 43 breakwaters in five sub-areas.
In sub-area 1, which extends from the eastern boundary of the Halavros area to the natural outcrop of the coastline, east of the eucalyptus camping site of the Municipality of Polis Chrysochous, the construction of 9 detached breakwaters is proposed.
In sub-area 2, which extends from the natural outcrop of the coastline east of the campsite to the eucalyptus tree Polis Chrysochous to the western boundary of the coastline of the Community of Argaka, the construction of 13 detached breakwaters is proposed.
In sub-area 3, which extends from the western boundary of the beach of the community of Argaka to the western boundary of the coastal front of the community of Nea Dimmata, the construction of 7 detached breakwaters is proposed.
In sub-area 4, from the coastal front of the community of Nea Dimmata to the fishing shelter of Pomos, the construction of 9 detached breakwaters is proposed.
In sub-area 5, from the fishing shelter of Pomos to the eastern end of Pachyammos beach, it is proposed to build 1 detached breakwater east of the fishing shelter of Pomos, as well as the construction of four detached breakwaters on Pachyammos beach.
As mentioned in the conclusions of the report, the beach of the Natura 2000 site "Polis-Gialia Area" is very important for the nesting of the Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas turtles. Therefore, the integrity of the site is important for the protection of these species. Furthermore, it is emphasized that the creation of breakwaters has a high risk of affecting the area and the species due to impacts. In addition, there are potential impacts on the other species and habitats mentioned, including priority habitat.
The Special Ecological Assessment Study has shown that the project will potentially affect the integrity of Natura 2000 sites and its implementation is not recommended.
It seems that even if no works are carried out within the Natura 2000 sites, it is not excluded that the areas will be affected if breakwaters are created near the areas, since they shift the problem of erosion to the adjacent areas. This means that coastal and marine parts of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) will be negatively affected even if they have no projects within their boundaries.
Also, turtles use the entire coastal front inside and outside the Natura 2000 site, so impacts are possible from breakwaters outside the area. The same applies to priority habitat 1120* Areas of sea vegetation with Posidonia oceanica where there will be a loss of habitat since it is also outside the Natura 2000 site.
The report also stresses that the study does not adequately assess the impact on the species of the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus, bearing in mind that it uses the wider study area and uses a cave near the project. Specifically, at a distance of 220 meters from the point of the first breakwater is the entrance of the sea cave of the protected seal species and at a distance of 300 meters to the west is the beach of Asprokremmos, which is also used by turtle species for nesting.
Significant impact
Although breakwaters are a marine project, they can also affect the land part by increasing the beneficial beach and its use by humans and as a result will increase human presence and disturbance to species. In synergy with the existing coastal promenade that has been constructed in the area, the increase in human presence has the potential to have additional impacts.
The area has existing breakwaters with a harbour which add to the pressure of the area and add to the cumulative effects. The existing breakwaters were to the point where its effects were assessed as insignificant, but with the addition of more breakwaters the cumulative effects will be significant.
In addition, there is already great pressure on the area due to illegal interventions in the beach protection zone, adjacent tourist and residential developments, existing legal and illegal catering and recreation centers, organized beaches providing bathers' services and existing breakwaters from the municipal beach to the camping site in the eucalyptus of the Municipality of Polis Chrysochous.
Impact of development implementation
Potential impacts that may occur during the construction and operation of the development in the Natura 2000 Network have to do with, among others, habitat loss. Specifically, during the construction of the project there is a potential loss of Posidonia meadows due to the mooring of the vessels that will be engaged in the construction.
The main impact expected from the creation of breakwaters is the reduction of the population of turtles that give birth in the area. Reduction from the displacement of egg-laying from the point where a turtle would use to lay eggs. Bearing in mind that turtles hardly change their nesting position, this will have a negative effect on the species. In addition, if a large chunk of the wider area has breakwaters, any potential displacement will be even more difficult.
It is emphasized that there is a risk for pups in their attempt to go out to sea, where they may be trapped in breakwaters, come out on breakwaters and be prone to predators or use enough energy to try to avoid breakwaters, again increasing the risk of predation. The breakwaters create a new habitat where they can be used by predators, again increasing pupal mortality.
Breakwaters are used to reduce erosion, which they do at points in front of breakwaters, but cause erosion where they are not in front of breakwaters. Keeping this in mind, some spots will have more deposition and space for spawning and others will have less. Since turtles are a species that uses about the same nesting spot each time, this means that a part of the turtles will have to find alternative deposition points. Also, with the use of breakwaters, it is expected that the area of a useful beach and its use by humans will increase and as a result the human presence and disturbance to the species will increase.
