• As part of the CATaMARà project, a guide to identifying the habitats and species within the Natura 2000 marine network in Catalonia has been created. This useful tool aims to increase awareness and understanding of the protected species that live in these important natural areas. The project is supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya.

This identification guide serves as a visual resource for identifying habitats and species found in the protected marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network in Catalonia. It has been created by the SUBMON team in collaboration with Toni Llobet and Marta Montenegro. Toni, a renowned naturalist illustrator, has contributed his expertise in designing an excellent resource that presents nature in an engaging and informative way to the public.

According to Toni, “Creating a concise guide that showcases the diverse marine life found in protected coastal areas has been a significant challenge. Deciding which species to include and which to leave out… To solve this, we created idealised seascapes that depict multiple animals and plants coexisting in a single moment. We highlighted endangered, iconic, and representative species in these seascapes. The design is eye-catching, using blue and bright yellow to convey a sense of alertness. We are confident that the design will catch the attention of the public, especially those who use the sea, and increase awareness for the overall CATaMARà project.

Marta also understood the requirements for this guide from the beginning and has accompanied us with impeccable precision throughout the creation, development and revision process: “It has been a pleasure to work on this guide. Being able to collaborate on projects with a pedagogical purpose gives meaning to graphic design: to organise and visually facilitate the information so that the content is comprehensible and attractive. Moreover, working with Toni Llobet’s illustrations has made the work even more fascinating”.

The co-creation process for the guide was conducted with care and thoroughness. SUBMON has worked closely with Toni and Marta to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented. Each species has been carefully selected and illustrated, capturing its distinctive characteristics in a detailed and realistic way to facilitate its observation in the natural environment.

The identification guide has been developed to be accessible and useful for different audiences, from nature enthusiasts to students, researchers and professionals in the field. The organisation and structure of the guide facilitate the search and identification of the species, providing relevant information on their habitat, main characteristics for their identification or curious facts to bring these species closer to the public.

In addition to its illustrative content, the guide introduces the project’s objectives, the Natura 2000 Network and the sites managed by the Generalitat de Catalunya.

Creating the species identification guide of the Natura 2000 Marine Network in Catalonia represents an opportunity for people to become actively involved in conserving and protecting marine natural spaces. Learning about and appreciating the species inhabiting the Natura 2000 Network encourages a greater awareness of preserving these unique and fragile ecosystems, generating a sense of belonging to the territory. This is indeed a significant achievement within the CATaMARà project that we hope to share with those interested in learning more about the marine biodiversity that can be observed in these areas.