BIOMARE PRIMARY SITES: DETAILED QUESTIONNAIRE FORM

Proposer: Institute of Biology, University of Iceland

Name: Jörundur Svavarsson

e-mail address: jorundur@hi.is

Proposed Primary Site: Breiðafjörður, inner part (often spelled Breiðifjörður, in English you can spell the name Breidafjordur, the name means the wide fjord), W. Iceland. Please consider The Times Atlas of the World and a fax sent. The inner part is approximately the same as is protected by special Icelandic law (see fax).

The area designated is to the east of 23°20’ W (excluding Hvammsfjörður). This includes the channel into the bay, where depths of 150 m are reached. Just outside this area are the huge seabird colonies at Látrabjarg, the largest in the northern Atlantic. The size of the area is approximately 1800 km2. This area can later be reduced further, or subareas distinguished.

PRISTINESS: Primary sites should be as free as possible from anthropogenic

stressors, and natural stressors atypical of the region (e.g. reduced

salinity, high turbidity).

List potential sources of pollution that are likely to impinge on the site:-

Industrial pollution:

generally not present; near few very small harbours indication of pollution due to ship traffic (though quite low imposex levels)

Agricultural pollution:

not present, the density of farms is low and decreasing. Agricultural pollution is not considered a problem in Iceland.

Mining:

not present

Dumping:

only in a small scale, due to harbour dredging. The harbours in the area are all small (for smaller fishing vessels used by communities with less that 1200 inhabitants.

Dredging:

not present

What is the human population of the site in total and per unit area? What

is the average population growth per year?

On 1 December 2000 there were 4994 persons living in the Breiðafjörður area. The average population growth per year is – (minus) 1%. Population density is 0.91 per km2 (thus very sparsely populated area).

Within the designated area, the larges town is the town of Stykkishólmur, with 1740 inhabitants (1 December 2000). Other towns have less that 1000 inhabitants.

How is sewage disposed of? If possible give an estimate of the quantity and

quality of the output.

Sewages is disposed with pipe-lines opening below the intertidal. The small community of Stykkishólmur is now adjusting to EU regulations.

Describe the extent of commercial fishing in the area. Please specify the

kinds of gear used (trawling, seine netting, lobster pots etc.)

Within the Breiðafjörður there is commercial fishing on scallops (Chlamys islandica), Danish seine, small shrimps trawl and a hand line. The catch per annum of scallop is 9000 tons, shrimp (Pandalus borealis) 0-400 tons and of fish several thousand tons. There is no commercial trawling with large trawls allowed in the fjord. The scallop fisheries are restricted to an area of 100 km2. Most of the fisheries are at the outer part of the fjord, and at the present it is difficult to give accurate numbers of catch within the proposed line.

Algae (Ascophyllum nodosum and Laminaria spp.) are harvested in the bay. There is good information available on which areas are harvested.

There is no commercial use of intertidal mud flats.

Give an account of tourist activities in the area (how many tourists per

year; what do they do?).

There is limited tourism in the area, despite its beauty. There are scheduled boat tours from Stykkishólmur daily during the summer, aimed at bird and whale watching, and viewing the general landscape (island view). During the summer the number of passengers is <400 daily (around 15000 per year).

A small ferry travels between the town Stykkishólmur and Brjánslækur, two tips (TR) per day during the summer, but one during winter. The total passenger number is 30.000 per year (tourists, and local people).

Provide evidence that there are no natural stressors such as high turbidity

or reduced salinity that are atypical of the region.

This is an fairly open bay, with numerous small islands. There are no large rivers entering the bay, reducing the salinity.

Give references to any chemical or physical data that support the claim that

this is a pristine site.

The following report is in Icelandic, giving information of the status of Iceland in terms of pollutants. The Breiðafjörður area will be used in the future as a pristine reference area in Icelandic monitoring studies.

Egilsson, D., Elísabet D. Ólafsdóttir, Eva Ingvadóttir, Helga Halldórsdóttir, Flosi Hrafn Sigurðsson, Gunnar Steinn Jónsson, Helgi Jensson, Karl Gunnarsson, Sigurður A. Þráinsson, Andri Stefánsson, Hallgrímur Daði Indriðason, Hreinn Hjartarson, Jóhanna Thorlacius, Kristín Ólafsdóttir, Sigurður R. Gíslason og Jörundur Svavarsson 1999. Mælingar á mengandi efnum á og við Ísland. Niðurstöður vöktunarmælinga. Starfshópur um mengunarmælingar, mars 1999, Reykjavík. 138 bls.

HABITATS: The site should comprise a mosaic of habitats in a well-defined

area that are representative of the region.

List the range of habitats present at the site:-

Littoral

Rock: extensive shores, exposed and sheltered, much of intertidal algae (Fucus and Ascophyllum)

Sand: extensive shores

Mud: extensive mudflats

Sublittoral

Rock: Diverse rocky bottoms with extensive kelp forests.

Sand: extensive (also highly diverse shell-sand)

Mud: a variety of grain size and depth

Seagrass beds: extensive intertidally and subtidally

Additionally there are intertidal and subtidal hot-water springs, with varying temperatures. There are low and high current areas in the bay. In few places (opening of Hvammsfjörður) the current can reach up to 10 knots, allowing studies of effects of high currents on rocky bottoms.

How representative is this site of its region (i.e. what regional habitats

are missing)?

The site is very representative for Iceland, in general. All regional habitat types are present, and further in large quantities. The proposed area is fairly large, around 1800 km2, but later subareas can be designated. The only thing really missing are the deep-water coral reefs (found only on the Reykjanes peninsula).

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The site should already be well-studied (i.e.

biodiversity studies should not rely entirely on new research).

For what groups of organisms are comprehensive inventories available?

Please list major taxa in each category below, and list publications.

Macrobenthos: see below

Meiobenthos: see below

Microbenthos: not studied

Zooplankton: see below

Phytobenthos: see below

Phytoplankton: see below

The area is fairly well known. There are numerous reports and publications dealing with the biota of Breiðafjörður. Most of these are though in Icelandic. There is a recent report (Skarphéðinsdóttir and Gunnarsson 1997. Lífríki sjávar í Breiðafirði. Marine Res Inst. Mimeo. 63) holding bibliography of studies in the Breiðafjörður. If Breiðafjörður is selected as a primary site, this report will be translated, making it easier for foreign visitors to study the area. Furthermore, the Institute of Biology will make all literature concerning the area readily available to EU researchers.

List any other publications relating specifically to the biodiversity or

environment at the site.

Some of the papers listed in the above mentioned bibliography.

see above.

List publications relating to historical/time-series data at the site.

None available

Is biodiversity information available in electronic form? If so, what is

the nature of the database (CD-ROM, web-site)?

Not available

PROTECTION STATUS: The pristine nature of the site should be protected by

legislation if it is to be a "flagship site" for future monitoring.

What conservation legislation (national, European, international) is

currently in place, how well is it implemented and how long will it last?

The inner part of Breiðafjörður is protected by a special act (law)(see fax) and is presumably the most protected marine area in Iceland. The outermost part of the Snaefellnes peninsula as a National Park, which has not as strict level as the special act. Breidifjordur is among the areas in Iceland which the Icelandic government is trying to get on the World heritage list.

FACILITIES: The infrastructure for biodiversity research should be

available. There should also be a national commitment in terms of financing

and scientific activity (i.e funding should not be entirely dependent on the

success of any future EU programme).

There is at the present no funds specifically allocated towards studies of biodiversity of the area. The Icelandic Nature Conservation Authority and the Ministry for the Environment have been notified about the need of allocating funds towards such studies.

How accessible is the location?

The southern part of the area is within 2 hours of driving from the capital of Iceland, Reykjavík. Most parts of the area can be reached within several hours of drive from Stykkishólmur, the largest village (1740 pers.) of the Bay.

Is it limited seasonally (e.g. not accessible in winter)?

No seasonal limitation. Snow may close the National highways for few days per year.

Is it accessible by car or by boat (indicate means of transport and distance

from laboratory facilities in km)?

by car, the general area is with quite good roads; the numerous islands of the area are accessible by boat.

What is the status of local facilities:-

Laboratory: Small laboratory (West Iceland Institute of Natural History) is located at the town of Stykkishólmur. That lab offers microscopes, facilities for sample processing, etc. Institute of Biology, University of Iceland, is only 2 hours drive from the area. The Institute is well equipped with a variety of sampling gear (grabs, sleds, etc.), dissecting and compound microscopes, identification literature, and lab space.

Boats:

A small vessel (fast going, 28 feet) from the University of Iceland will be located at different intervals at the town of Stykkishólmur, if the area will be designated as a primary site. Additional option is to hire boats in Stykkishólmur town.

 

Are these facilities available for guest researchers?

yes

What facilities are there for SCUBA diving?

none, the Institute of Biology can arrange with tanks and weights.

What housing is available?

hotels in Reykjavik; local hotel and youth hostel in Stykkishólmur

List the sources of funding currently in place specifically for biodiversity

research at this site (from where and how much).

None at the present.

List by name the persons currently involved in biodiversity research at this

site, their roles and the percentage of their time spent on this research.

There have several researchers and students from the University of Iceland and researchers from the Marine Research Institute been involved in biodiversity studies in Breiðafjörður. Of few to mention: A. Ingólfsson, J. Svavarsson, G.V. Helgason, all at the University of Iceland, K. Gunnarsson, MRI. All have driven independent research at different times.

 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

Please use this section to add any additional supporting comments, for

example what do you think is special about your site from the biodiversity

point of view, why is it important to monitor biodiversity there, and what

is the public awareness of this?

Iceland has coastal sites presumably among the most pristine in Europe. I have in this proposal selected an pristine, sparsely populated area, which and holds a variety of habitats. The area is easily reached by car from Reykjavík, where most of the research infrastructure is located. There is a small lab in the area, which makes the area even more attractive to research and makes all studies more easy.

There is a large interest in Breiðafjörður at the Ministry for the Environment, Iceland, seen in special law concerning the area and their interest of getting the area on the World Heritage list. If the site is selected as a primary site, it will be fairly easy to get additional funds from Icelandic authorities.

We have earlier experience of EU´s activity. Our Sandgerði Marine Centre was a Large Scale Facility for three years.