7ES026 Ria de Mundaka-Guernika
Coordinates: 43º22'N - 002º40'W Elevation: 0 m. Area:945 ha
Location:
The site is located approximately 25 km northeast of the city of Bilbao, Bizkaia Province, in the autonomous region of PaĦs Vasco, in northeastern Spain.
Criteria:
2a, 2b, 3b
The area is notable for its rich fauna, which includes a diversity of amphibians, e.g. Bufo calamita, reptiles, e.g. Natrix maura, birds, and mammals such as Mustela lutreola, Putorius putorius and Arvicola sapidus. The site is of significance for breeding, staging and wintering waterbirds. It is the second most important staging area in Spain for the Dutch breeding population of Platalea leucorodia.
Wetland Types:
F, G, H, M, Ss (dominant type listed first)
The site consists of a saline and brackish tidal coastal estuary around the mouth and the lower reaches of the Rivers Guernika and Mundaka. There are sandy beaches, regularly and intermittently inundated saltmarshes, intertidal mud and sand flats, and sedge and reed beds.
Biological/
Ecological notes
The saltmarshes contain Spartina, Salicornia, Suaeda, Halimione, Aster, Triglochin, Limonium etc. The intertidal mud flats support beds of Zostera noltii. The small sedge and reed beds along the water courses consist of Phragmites, Typha, Juncus, Cyperus, etc. Nesting birds include Rallus aquaticus, Charadrius dubius and Locustella naevia, while Phalacrocorax carbo, Egretta garzetta, Ardea cinerea, Anas spp., Haematopus ostralegus, Vanellus vanellus, Pluvialis squatarola, Numenius arquata, Gallinago gallinago and Calidris alpina are regular during winter and/or migration periods.
Hydrological/
Physical notes
Human uses
The area is almost entirely privately owned. The most important traditional human activity is shellfish harvesting. The area is also used to collect worms for bait and there is some livestock grazing. Tourists visit the area too. The surrounding land is cultivated.

Conservation
Measures

The area is designated a Refuge from Hunting (Refugio de Caza). At present, an area of 2,000 ha in the Guernika estuary is officially closed to hunting. The site is also part of the Valle de Urdaibai UNESCO Man And Biosphere Reserve (MAB), which encompasses a total of 22,500 ha. In 1989 the regional government established a Special Protection and Ordination Plan for the MAB.
Adverse
Factors 		In the past, many marsh areas were drained and converted into agricultural fields. The rate of loss has slowed significantly in recent years. Nevertheless drainage of small areas of land is still taking place and this is affecting the bird communities. The area suffers from an increasing disturbance by tourism too. Invertebrate populations (molluscs, crustaceans and annelid worms) suffer from over-collection. Recent lower census counts of bird species such as Haematopus ostralegus are perhaps indicative of this. Pollution of urban and industrial origin which reaches the area (some heavy industries are located upstream) is a further cause for concern.
References {a16}