Cyprus has submitted to the RAC/SPA Secretariat a proposal for inclusion in the SPAMI List. It is the Lara – Toxeftra Turtle Reserve.

In accordance with the procedure laid down in the SPA/BD Protocol, the Cyprus draft proposal had been transmitted, by RAC/SPA Secretariat, for examination to the Focal Points for SPAs (UNEP(DEPI)/MED WG.382/16) where it has been approved. This decision has been also approved by the MAP Focal Points in September 2013. The inclusion in the SPAMI list of the Lara – Toxeftra Turtle Reserve shall become effective after adoption of a related decision by the 18^th Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention that will take place in Istanbul from 3 to 6 December 2013.

The Lara – Toxeftra area, located in the south-western part of the Akamas peninsula (Natura 2000 site), 15 km north of the town of Pafos extends inland to 90 meters from the sea (from the mean sea level) and extends seaward to the 20 meter isobath, which is about 0.4 to 1 km from the coast. The Reserve covers about 10 km of coastline.

In 1989 the west coast nesting area (10 km of coastline) was declared as a turtle reserve, the Lara/Toxeftra Turtle Reserve in virtue of fisheries legislation classifying it as a marine and coastal reserve for the protection of nesting sites of two species of marine turtles, Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas witch are important resident populations. Moreover, the reserve was included in 2011 in the Natura 2000 network as part of the Akamas peninsula.

To veiw the map of the location of this area, clic this link.