The objective of specially protected areas is: (a) to safeguard representative types of coastal and marine ecosystems of adequate size to ensure their long-term viability and to maintain their biological diversity; (b) to safeguard habitats which are in danger of disappearing in their natural area of distribution in the Mediterranean or which have a reduced natural area of distribution as a consequence of their regression or on account of their intrinsically restricted area; (c) to safeguard habitats critical to the survival, reproduction and recovery of endangered, threatened or endemic species of flora or fauna; (d) to safeguard sites of particular importance because of their scientific, aesthetic, cultural or educational interest.
