Key Services that MER offers include:
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Ecological assessment using valid indicators
- Biotope mapping to determine optimum site location
- Consult on optimum design based on hydrodynamic simulations and ecological evaluation
- Monitoring of the marine biodiversity
- Analyse socio-economic impacts
- Stakeholder analysis
- Undertake marine surveys and sample analysis
A Multi-Purpose Reef is a type of coastal structure that can reduce erosion, enhance marine habitat and provide a valuable recreational resource. The construction of breakwaters to reduce erosion and enhance beach formation and the construction of artificial reefs/wrecks to promote dive tourism, enhance marine life and to act as anti-trawling reefs are not absent from Cyprus coasts. Reefs offer many benefits when created in a strategic manner. Reefs can be submerged so as not degrade the natural beauty of the beach. They can reduce the wave energy reducing the erosional stress and stabilizing the shoreline. Reefs also provide the hard substrate at which marine biota accumulates and as a result biodiversity is promoted and ecosystem quality is enhanced. In addition reefs can promote recreational activities such as snorkelling, diving, and fishing which have socioeconomic benefits.
MER can offer a wide range of services to evaluate coastal processes, environmental and socio-economic effects of multi-purpose reefs.