Watch: Dolphins and sea turtles in the new nature reserve to be announced in Ashdod Israel today

The Southern District Planning and Building Committee has approved a plan for the Yam Avtach Nature Reserve, in the maritime area between Ashdod and Ashkelon.

The plan was submitted by the Nature and Parks Authority and was made in accordance with the policy document for Israel's maritime space prepared by the Planning Administration.

The plan, which initially included land for a marine nature reserve only, was discussed in a subcommittee on objections, which decided that north and south of the nature reserve, it would determine, for the first time in Israel, an area designated for professional and sport fishing.

Watch: Dolphins and sea turtles in the new nature reserve to be announced in Ashdod // Credit: RTG

The plan includes a nature reserve in an area of ​​about 67,000 dunams and an area designated for fishermen in an area of ​​about 53,000 dunams.

The plan was also approved by the Coastal (and Coastal) Conservation Committee, which welcomed the district committee's decision balancing the need for nature conservation and natural resources, and the use of fisheries that exploit natural resources sustainably thereby improving the balance among all marine space users.  

The nature reserve is located about 300 meters from the shoreline to a distance of about 7 km from it. The reserve is a continuation of two declared marine nature reserves between the shoreline and up to 300 meters from it, so that a sequence of nature reserves is created Moving from a bottom depth of c. 5.5 meters to a maximum bottom depth of c. 38 m. A center for ecological tourism, recreation and leisure and a center of attraction for tourism. 

Watch: Dolphins and sea turtles in the new nature reserve to be announced in Ashdod // Credit: RTG

Yam Security Reserve is in fact a "marine sand park", a direct continuation of the land sand park "Nitzanim Sand Reserve", which is located east of it.

In the marine reserve, the sands are covered by a "water column" in which fish, sea turtles and even a group of dolphins swim.

Unique seabirds can also be observed in this area.

While the sands on land are shaped by wind actions, the sands underwater are shaped by currents.

Sea currents and wave effects, produce variable habitats.

Each depth strip has different animals, so it is important to protect a wide range of depths, to protect all the ecological societies of the soft sandy substrate in the sea.

The soft substrate of the sands (originating in the Nile door), is bustling with life.

Marine Nature Reserve near Ashdod, Photo: Nature and Parks Authority

Southern District Planner at the Planning Administration, Tomer Gothalf, said: "A marine nature reserve is a marine nature reserve designed to preserve the marine habitat and extends in front of the Nitzanim Sands terrestrial nature reserve. .

Acting Director General of the Nature and Parks Authority, Raya Soraki, said: "The approved reserve is very important for the conservation of marine nature in the Mediterranean because it includes a sandy habitat at depths of up to 30 meters. We do not currently have representation in other marine nature reserves. "According to studies and surveys, there is a large variety of species alongside a population of rare dolphins and sea turtles."

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