Mapping Croatia's coastal and benthic marine habitats

Across the coastal sea and the epicontinental belt of the Republic of Croatia.

Partner: Oikon
Client: Consortium led by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development
Location: Croatia, Adriatic Sea
Timeframe: 2021 - 2023

Habitat map of islands and seabed along the Croatian coast — Benthic marine habitats mapped around Croatian islands.

The challenge

Croatia lacked standardised data on its marine habitats.

Croatia needed comprehensive data on the distribution and condition of its marine habitats, to meet the EU Habitats Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive, manage the Natura 2000 network and inform marine spatial planning.

That meant mapping 30,278 km² of ecologically diverse sea with several methods, and revising the national marine habitat classification.

What was done

Oikon was part of a national consortium, with a 24.4% share of the project. The project covered Croatia’s coastal sea and Exclusive Economic Zone.

1 Mapping coastal habitat types with remote sensing and field methods.
2 Mapping marine habitats up to the 5th level of the national classification with drop-down cameras.
3 Mapping benthic habitats from satellite imagery and aerial photogrammetry.
4 Integrating remote sensing and acoustic data from consortium partners into one habitat map.
5 Cartographic generalisation and topological quality control of the national spatial database.

Overview map of the Croatian Adriatic coast with the mapping area — Overview of the coastal and benthic mapping area along the Croatian Adriatic coast.

Benthic habitat map combining Oikon mapping with acoustic survey data — Oikon's mapping integrated with acoustic survey data along a coastal transect.

Methods used

From satellites to drop-down cameras.

Satellite imagery
Aerial photogrammetry
Drop-down cameras
Field surveys
Acoustic data integration
Habitat modelling
Cartographic generalisation
Topological quality control

Outcome

Half of Croatia's marine area, mapped in one database.

Natura 2000
Marine spatial planning
EU reporting

mapped in total: 30,278 km²
of Croatia's marine area: 51%
people and 5 vessels: 200+
person-days of fieldwork: 5,400+

The project delivered a spatial database covering 51% of Croatia’s marine area: 6,661 km² mapped in detail and 23,617 km² through habitat modelling.

The results are publicly available on the ministry’s GIS web portal, supporting Natura 2000 management, marine spatial planning and Croatia’s international reporting.

Mapping Croatia's coastal and benthic marine habitats

Croatia lacked standardised data on its marine habitats.

From satellites to drop-down cameras.

Half of Croatia's marine area, mapped in one database.

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