The Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFMR) is proceeding with the demarcation of protected areas with buoys with the aim of preserving marine biodiversity and the effective protection of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) in Cyprus. Monachus monachus is one of the most endangered mammal species on the planet and the number one threatened marine mammal in Europe.
Among the main threats faced by the species are destruction and degradation of their habitats due to increasing human activity in coastal areas. Overfishing is also a major threat, which leads to the reduction of marine stocks, and therefore their food, and the trapping in fishing gear.






