sites to be included in the marine IBA inventory, (3) application of IBA criteria to identified candidate sites to verify and justify or reject their inclusion in the marine IBA inventory and (4) final delineation of boundaries and identification of the marine IBAs. Marine IBA inventory All sites that have been included in the present marine IBA inventory are described in detail. For each site, information on the geographical features, seabird populations and human activities occurring are given while threats for seabirds arising from these are discussed. Although each site is treated as a separate entity, they must also be considered as constituent parts of an integrated network of marine and terrestrial areas, which are vital for the seabird species addressed on a national, Mediterranean and global level. Information is therefore also provided on the role of separate sites for each species and their inter-relation on the regional scale. Conclusions The present marine IBA inventory consists of 41 marine areas for the Mediterranean Shag, Audouin’s Gull, Yelkouan Shearwater, Cory’s Shearwater and European Storm-petrel, covering a total area of 9,943 km2 which is equivalent to approximately 8.7% of the territorial waters of Greece. These sites consist of all four types of marine IBAs, with the majority being colony seaward extensions, while the remaining include areas for pelagic species, migratory bottlenecks and non-breeding (coastal) concentrations. Their size varies between 9.4 km2 and 1,866 km2. The majority, 37 sites, is located in the Aegean Sea, while the remaining four in the Ionian Sea. The marine IBA identification process in Greece, however, is not yet complete. There are still several pelagic areas important for shearwater species as well as coastal marine areas which host significant numbers of waterbirds, where, due to insufficient information, marine IBAs have not been delineated until now. Nevertheless, the present edition comprises the first marine IBA inventory in Greece, summarises all available information on the five main seabird species in these sites and provides a point of reference for the designation of marine Natura 2000 sites for seabirds in Greek waters and their future management.
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