Chimeneas de Cádiz

Location: The area is the in the Gulf of Cadiz (6º20’W - 8º00’W and 36º09’N - 37º05’N), and it represents a stretch with a 50-km continuous sandy coast, with active, semi-stable, and phyto-stable dunes, in addition to the Doñana wetlands.

Area Characteristics: There are cold emission biocenosis related to mud volcanoes in deep waters between 800 and 1,200 m. The gas emissions form a special habitat in the gulf’s deep waters, supporting unique ecosystems based on methane oxidation as a primary source of energy. Coral communities related to cold emissions have been recorded during several oceanographic campaigns, and at a depth of 2,000 m, there are unique invertebrates adapted to survive in the harsh conditions of this type of emissions.

The river mouth is an important source of fishing resources, being an important habitat for the spawning, nursery, and recruitment of the wedge sole (Dicologoglossa cuneata). This is one of the main species targeted by the drift and artisan demersal fleet. The deepwater rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) appears in the platform limit with muddy bottoms of fine slime.

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