In a notice published in the government gazette of the 22 March 2024, the Environment and Resources Authority declared Fessej Rock, located just under the South shore of Gozo, east of the exit of Mgarr ix-Xini as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) of National Importance.
This SAC therefore now falls under the remit of Chapter 549 of the Laws of Malta, the Environment Protection Act and the S.L. 549.44 Flora, Fauna and Natural Habitats Protection Regulations. No announcement yet was published to our knowledge about any guidelines or regulations related to access to this site.
The map included within the legal notice does not seem to include the marine area around Fessej Rock, a well-frequented boat diving site due to its location which protects it from North-West to East winds, but simply the surface area.
The full list of these sites consists of the following:
