Lagunas de La Mata y Torrevieja
- Country:Spain
- Site number:456
- Area:3,717.3 ha
- Designation date:05-12-1989
- Coordinates:38°00'N 00°42'W
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Overview
The wetland comprises two closely located lagoons along the Mediterranean coast. Separated by a strip of land, they have significantly different levels of salinity; the Torrevieja lagoon has been used as a salt pan since the 13th century, unlike the Mata lagoon which regularly receives fresh water from nearby mountains. This characteristic allows for very diverse fauna and flora, with up to 400 different taxa that include several endemic and threatened species. Bird species are especially important for the Site, with ten threatened species found and with internationally important numbers of breeding Audouin’s gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii), which is nationally threatened. The presence of Aphanius Iberus (Spanish toothcarp, locally known as fartet), an endemic species with an internationally endangered status, is also notable. Threats to the wetland include the impacts of tourism and recreation and extreme meteorological events linked to climate change. A visitor centre provides educational programmes to highlight the Site’s ecological values.
Administrative region:
Comunitat Valenciana
- National legal designation:
- Humedal del Catálogo de Zonas Húmedas de la Comunitat Valenciana - Humedal 40-Parque Natural de las Lagunas de La Mata-Torrevieja (Acuerdo de 10 de septiembre de 2002, del Gobierno Valenciano, de aprobación del Catálogo de Zonas Húmedas de la Comunidad Valenciana; DOGV nº 4336, de 16/09/2002)
- Humedal del Inventario Español de Zonas Húmedas - Humedal IH521011–Parque Natural de las Lagunas de La Mata-Torrevieja (Resolución de 9 de marzo de 2011, de la DGMNPF, por la que se incluyen en el Inventario Español de Zonas Húmedas 48 humedales de la Comunitat Valenciana; BOE nº 71, de 24/03/2011)
- Microrreserva de flora - Microrreserva de flora La Loma (Orden 11/2010, de 26 de mayo, de la Conselleria de Medio Ambiente, Agua, Urbanismo y Vivienda, por la que se declaran 11 microrreservas de flora en la provincia de Alicante; DOCV nº 6.286, de 10/06/2010)
- Microrreserva de flora - Microrreserva de flora Llacuna Salada de La Mata (Orden de 13 de junio de 2001, de la Conselleria de Medio Ambiente, por la que se declaran 16 microrreservas vegetales en la provincia de Alicante; DOGV nº 4.059, de 07/08/2001)
- Microrreserva de flora - Microrreserva de flora Llacuna Salada de Torrevieja (Orden de 13 de junio de 2001, de la Conselleria de Medio Ambiente, por la que se declaran 16 microrreservas vegetales en la provincia de Alicante; DOGV nº 4.059, de 07/08/2001)
- Parque Natural - Parque Natural de las Lagunas de la Mata y Torrevieja (Ley 11/1994, de 27 de diciembre, de la Generalitat Valenciana, de Espacios Naturales Protegidos de la Comunidad Valenciana; DOGV nº 2423, de 09/01/1995)
- Regional (international) legal designations:
- EU Natura 2000
- Last publication date:14-07-2020
Downloads
Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)
Additional reports and documents
- Taxonomic lists of plant and animal species occurring in the site
- A description of the site in a national or regional wetland inventory
- Other published literature