The 5,000 ha site is in Nador province in northeastern Morocco. Cap des Trois Fourches is situated at the end of a rocky peninsula that juts off Morocco’s coast into the Mediterranean. The beaches are gravelly, with clear water over a sandy bottom and seagrass beds. The site hosts a number of rare and threatened species, including the monk seal, the Loggerhead turtle, the Fin whale and two species of dolphin.

Photo courtesy: http://www.casafree.com/

The clarity of the water is due to sea currents which transport pollution from the nearby cities away from the promontory.

The main activities are fishing and tourism. Construction of tourism facilities, dynamite fishing, and pollution are the main threats to the site.

Ramsar site no. 1473

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands came into force for Morocco on 20 October 1980. Morocco presently has 24 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance, with a surface area of 272,010 hectares.

References: www.ramsar.org; www.medwet.org