For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
• 2. SITE LOCATION
• 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
• 4. SITE DESCRIPTION
• 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
• 6. SITE MANAGEMENT
• 7. MAP OF THE SITE

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

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1.1 Type

B

1.2 Site code

GR4320006

1.3 Site name

VOREIOANATOLIKO AKRO KRITIS: DIONYSADES, ELASA KAI CHERSONISOS SIDERO (AKRA MAVRO MOURI – VAI – AKRA PLAKAS) KAI THALASSIA ZONI

1.4 First Compilation date

1995-04

1.5 Update date

2020-07

1.6 Respondent:

Name/Organisation:	Υπουργείο Περιβάλλοντος και Ενέργειας
Address:
Email:

1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates

Date site proposed as SCI:	1996-08
Date site confirmed as SCI:	2006-09
Date site designated as SAC:	2011-03
National legal reference of SAC designation:	Law 3937/29-3-11 (OJ 60 A)

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	26.253694
Latitude:	35.259652

2.2 Area [ha]

39415.7600

2.3 Marine area [%]

80.9900

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

NUTS level 2 code	Region Name
GR43	Kriti

2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)

Mediterranean

(0.00 %)

Marine Mediterranean

(0.00 %)

3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them

Annex I Habitat types						Site assessment
Code	PF	NP	Cover [ha]	Cave [number]	Data quality	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Representativity	Relative Surface	Conservation	Global
1110			23605	0.00	G	A	C	B	B
1120	X		142	0.00	M	A		B	B
1150	X		1.52609	0.00			C
1170			2818	0.00	G	A		C	C
1240			364.861	0.00	G	B	B	B	B
1310			0.613965	0.00	G	B	C	B	B
1410			1.12674	0.00	G	B	C	B	B
1420			5.15255	0.00	G	B	C	B	B
1430			0.74061	0.00	G	B	C	A	B
2110			1.10595	0.00	G	B	C	B	B
2230			1.47274	0.00	G	B	B	B	B
3290			0	0.00	G
5210			135.738	0.00	G	B	C	B	B
5330			11.8839	0.00	G	A	C	A	B
5420			5397.46	0.00	G	B	B	B	B
6220	X		39.7742	0.00	G	A	C	A	B
7210	X		0.375921	0.00	G	C	C	C	B
8210			0.200557	0.00	G	A	C	A	B
8330			0	0.00	G	A		B	B
92D0			0.960169	0.00	G	B	C	B	B
9320			64.7623	0.00	G	C	C	C	C
9370	X		19.0789	0.00	G	B	A	B	B

• PF: for the habitat types that can have a non-priority as well as a priority form (6210, 7130, 9430) enter "X" in the column PF to indicate the priority form.
• NP: in case that a habitat type no longer exists in the site enter: x (optional)
• Cover: decimal values can be entered
• Caves: for habitat types 8310, 8330 (caves) enter the number of caves if estimated surface is not available.
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation)

3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them

Species					Population in the site						Site assessment
G	Code	Scientific Name	S	NP	T	Size		Unit	Cat.	D.qual.	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Min	Max				Pop.	Con.	Iso.	Glo.
P	4082	Crepis pusilla			p	0	0	grids1x1	P	G	C	C	C	B
P	1896	Phoenix theophrasti			p	5728	6728	i	R	G	A	A	C	A
P	1459	Silene holzmannii			p	5723	5732	i	R	G	A	A	C	A
M	1349	Tursiops truncatus

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
• Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)

3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)

Species					Population in the site				Motivation
Group	CODE	Scientific Name	S	NP	Size		Unit	Cat.	Species Annex		Other categories
					Min	Max		C|R|V|P	IV	V	A	B	C	D
P		Allium longanum						V						X
P		Allium rubrovittatum						C				X
P		Anacamptis pyramidalis						P					X
P		Anacamptis pyramidalis						P						X
P		Anthemis ammanthus ssp. ammanthus						R				X
P		Anthemis ammanthus ssp. paleacea						P				X
P		Anthemis filicaulis						P				X
P		Arenaria aegaea						P				X
P		Asperula crassula						V				X
P		Asperula rigida						C				X
P		Atriplex recurva						R				X
I		Axinella damicornis						P						X
I		Axinella polypoides						P					X
I		Axinella spp						P					X
P		Campanula creutzburgii						R				X
P		Campanula pelviformis						R				X
P		Carlina diae						V					X
P		Carlina diae						V				X
I		Caryophyllia sp						P						X
P		Caulerpa cylindracea						P						X
P		Centaurea aegialophila						P						X
P		Centaurea idaea						P				X
P		Cistanche phelypaea						R						X
I		Corynactis viridis						P					X
P		Crepis tybakiensis						C				X
P		Crocus tournefortii						P				X
P		Cyclamen creticum						C				X
P		Cymbalaria microcalyx ssp. dodekanesi						P				X
P		Cymodocea nodosa						P					X
P		Cynara cornigera						P						X
P		Cystoseira crinitophylla						P						X
P		Cystoseira spinosa						P					X
P		Cystoseira spp						P					X
P		Cystoseira spp						C					X
P		Dianthus fruticosus ssp. amorginus						R				X
P		Ebenus cretica						C				X
P		Fibigia lunarioides						P				X
P		Filago aegaea ssp. aristata						P						X
P		Ganonema farinosum						P						X
P		Halophila stipulacea						P						X
P		Hypericum amblycalyx						P				X
I		Leptopsammia pruvoti						P					X
P		Limonium frederici						R				X
P		Lithophyllum tortuosum						P					X
P		Lygeum spartum						C						X
P		Melobesioideae						P						X
P		Nepeta melissifolia						R				X
P		Onosma graeca						R						X
P		Ophrys fusca											X
P		Ophrys fusca												X
I		Paracentrotus lividus						P					X
I		Paracentrotus lividus						P					X
I		Paracentrotus lividus						P			X
I		Paracentrotus lividus						P			X
I		Percnon gibbesi						P						X
P		Phlomis lanata						C				X
I	1028	Pinna nobilis						P	X
I	1028	Pinna nobilis						P			X
I	1028	Pinna nobilis						P					X
I		Polycyathus muellerae						P					X
P		Ricotia cretica						R				X
P		Salsola aegaea						V				X
I		Sarcotragus foetidus						P					X
P		Scutellaria sieberi						P				X
P		Serratula cichoracea ssp. cretica						R				X
P		Seseli gummiferum ssp. crithmifolium						V				X
F		Siganus luridus						P						X
F		Siganus rivulatus						P			X
F		Siganus rivulatus						P						X
P		Silene fabaria						P						X
F		Sparisoma cretense						P						X
I		Sphaerechinus granularis						P						X
P		Stachys spinosa						P				X
I		Synaptula reciprocans						P						X
P		Tenarea tortuosa						C					X
P		Teucrium alpestre						C				X
P		Teucrium brevifolium						P						X
P		Titanoderma sp.						C					X
P		Titanoderma trochanter						P					X
I		Tonna galea						P					X
F		Torquigener flavimaculosus						P						X
P		Trigonella rechingeri						P				X
P		Tulipa cretica						C				X
P		Tulipa saxatilis						V						X
P		Valeriana asarifolia						P				X
P		Viola scorpiuroides						R						X
F		Xyrichtys novacula						P			X
F		Xyrichtys novacula						P						X

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
• Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
• Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons

4. SITE DESCRIPTION

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4.1 General site character

Habitat class	% Cover
N01	42.91
N02	0.01
N03	0.01
N04	4.54
N05	0.95
N06	0.13
N08	41.86
N09	0.25
N15	8.18
N18	0.71
N22	0.01
N23	0.44
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

The site, the northeastern part of Crete, includes the easternmost area of the island, the peninsula of Sidero, and the nearby islets, Dyonisades and Elasa. Geologically this area of Crete consists of limestones and dolomites of the upper Cretaceous, bedded crystalline limestones of the Permian, phylites and neogene and alluvial deposits. The vegetation is mainly phrygana. There are a lot of valleys with maquis, some of them degrading. The palm forest (Phoenix theophrastii) of Vai, unique in Europe, is situated in a coastal valley, on the easternmost coast of Crete. This part of Crete is one of the driest parts of Greece. Almost all streams dry up during summer; they are surrounded by a typical vegetation of Oleanders, etc. There are 2-3 villages in the area. There are plantations of bananas in greenhouses while the land near the villages is cultivated. At the eastern coast there are a lot of sand dunes, mainly between the palm forest and the sea and east of Palaikastro at Grantes gulf. On the west side of Sidero peninsula there are Posidonia beds and flocs of Tursiops truncatus have been observed. On the tip of Sidero peninsula there is a military base. The nearby islets are uninhabited. The Dyonisades islets group consists of Permian limestone while Elasa islet consists of dolomites and limestones of upper Cretaceous. The vegetation on the islets is phrygana. Near the sea there are halophilous plants. In the larger islet of Dyonisades group as well as on the opposite coast of Crete the coastline is characterized by sea cliffs.In 2015, the site was extended 2nm off the Cretan and surrounding islet coasts, to include important and vulnerable habitats of the circalittoral and deep zone, including biodiversity-rich facies of coralligenous assemblages (deep counterpart of Habitat Type 1170), and extensive detritic and rhodolith beds, at depths below ~40m. Several islets, reefs and shoals add to the geographic and topographic complexity of the site.

4.2 Quality and importance

The whole area is very important for its flora and fauna, both marine and terrestrial. The palm forest is one of the most important characteristics of the area. It reaches an area of 20 ha. The forest has already been characterized as an aesthetic forest (979/85) and it is under the management of the Forestry Department and it is also a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a site protected by the Barcelona Convention. Most of the plants which are listed in 3.3 are endemic. There are some plants that their presence in the area is the only (or one of the few) European presence of the species. The species Cistanche phelypea (motivation D) is a plant of the African deserts but it is rarely found in the sites area; in Crete it is near the northern limits of its distribution and otherwise it occurs only in the Iberian peninsula in Europe. Allium longanum (rare in Greece and vulnerable in the world according to IUCN, 1993) is found in very few south Aegean islands and islets and also in Libya and Egypt. Also the African species Viola scorpiuroides (motivation D) is found in Crete and in Libya. The species Onosma graeca (motivation D) is generally found in NW Anatolia, out of Greece. Filago aegaea ssp. aristata (motivation D) is a plant with distribution in S & E Aegean, Ionian Islands, Kriti and Cyprus. Cynara cornigera (motivation D) is a species with distribution in S. Greece, the Aegean and Cyprus. Silene fabaria (motivation D) is an Aegean region endemic (occurring only in W Anatolia out of Greece). Teucrium brevifolium (motivation D) is found in Anatolia, Egypt and Libya out of Greece. Most of the plants can be characterized as rare, some species are considered vulnerable, while relatively few species are common in the area and in the country. The following species is protected by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81) and is included in the IUCN Red Data List (1993) in the category of threatened plants and in the European Red List of Globally Threatened Plants characterized as «rare»: Viola scorpiuroides (motivation D). The following species is protected by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81) and is included in the IUCN Red Data List (1993) in the category of threatened plants: Centaurea aegialophila (vulnerable).Tulipa saxatilis (motivation D) is protected by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81). Lygeum spartum (motivation D) in the area is important. This species belongs to the desert-like floristic element, occurring only in steppe communities in Crete in Greece (it occurs at similar habitats in Spain, Sardinia, Sicily, Italy in Europe); it is one of the very rare grasses in Greece (Damanakis & Scholz, 1990). Distribution in Europe: at similar habitats. Note: The IUCN characterizations given concern the plants status in Greece unless otherwise stated. Concerning the animals, there are a lot of invertebrate endemic species and some vertebrate endemic subspecies. Regarding the reptiles it can be said that their presence is quite important. On Crete the reptiles are found in isolated small populations while on the islets there are endemic subspecies. Most species of the land snails mentioned in 3.3. are endemic of the site or of Crete. The Dyonisades group has been characterized as an Important Bird Area, especially for birds that live at cliffs. The sea fauna and flora is quite interesting since in this area. Apart from the important species of fauna and flora there are also archaeological and fossil findings in the area.Various facies of coralligenous assemblages (deep counterpart of Habitat Type 1170) occur along the steep rocky coasts and reefs of the site, mostly at depths below ~40m. Extensive detritic and rhodolith beds (important deep subtypes for Habitat Type 1110) dominate the circalittoral sedimentary bottoms of the area at depths between 50-150m. The uninhabited islet complex of Dionyssades presents llittoral biogenic rims of Lithophyllum tortuosum and Titanoderma trochanter, and support some otherwise rare for this area marine invertebrates (i.e. Corynactis viridis, Leptopsammia pruvoti, Charonia variegata). Increased nutrient and organic pollution was detected on Fish farming and hatching activities in the wider Antikiari bay were found to exert significant pollution effect on the shallow rocks and Posidonia beds. Signs of organic pollution were also detected in Analoukas bay. The alien fish species Siganus luridus and S. rivulatus, well-established and abundant in the wider area, are exerting significant herbivore pressure on the rocky infralittoral zone, as indicated by a dramatic decline in the cover of Cystoseira canopies and the prolific dominance of filamentous turf algae. Lagocephalus sceleratus and Torquigener flavimaculosus are also present but unassessed. Other common aliens of lesser or yet insignificant impact are the green algae Caulerpa cylindracea, the red algae Ganonema farinosum, the crab Percnon gibbesi, and the sea cucumber Synaptula reciprocans

4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site

The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site

4.4 Ownership (optional)

No information provided

4.5 Documentation (optional)

[1] Peres JM, Picard J, 1958. Campagne de la “Calypso” en Mediterranee nord-orientale, 1955. 2. Recherches sur les peuplements benthiques de la Mediterranee nord-orientale. Ann. Inst, Oceanogr., 34: 213-291

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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5.1 Designation types at national and regional level (optional):

Code	Cover [%]
GR12	0.13
GR95	5.77
IN04	0.13

5.2 Relation of the described site with other sites (optional):

Designated at national or regional level:

Type code	Site name	Type	Cover [%]
GR95	Pla? Marazaki Dimou Itanou	*	1.02
GR12	Foinikodasos Vai Lasithiou	*	0.13
GR95	Dionysades nisoi Dimou Siteias	+	4.07
GR95	Va? Dimou Itanou	*	0.68

5.3 Site designation (optional)

No information provided

6. SITE MANAGEMENT

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6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:

No information provided

6.2 Management Plan(s):

An actual management plan does exist:

	Yes
	No, but in preparation
X	No

6.3 Conservation measures (optional)

No information provided

 

7. MAP OF THE SITE

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