These datasets were manipulated and produced in aggregated maps by showing the intensity of VMS (and not the effort) by a methodology used in the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Since most of the vessels are under 12 m and have no VMS, these maps represents only a fraction of the Drifting Long Lines vessels - 7% of the vessels targeting swordfish.For this datasets of vessel trips targeting swordfish, at a speed of 2-3 knots (indicative of hauling) were taken into consideration. This data was funded by of one of the co-financed EU LIFE+ Funding Programmes - LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project.

Every year the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA) issues a call for applications (together with a set of conditions) for those vessels interested to lay Fishing Aggregation Devices (FADs). This data was included as part of the dataset used for one of the co-financed EU LIFE+ Funding Programmes - LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project.

Granulometry data were collected by box-corer during the Mediterranean Trawl Survey (MEDITS) between the years 2004-2008 (excluding 2006). This dataset were gathered from various stations (80 in total), and were classified as follows: coarse silt, medium silt and very coarse silt; and fine sand, medium sand and very fine sand.These data were gathered on DFA’s own initiative in order to gather baseline data about the substratum, which influences the distribution of the fishing resources within GSA 15. While maerl data was obtained from photos of the MEDITS stations sampled between 2005 and 2011 as well as Van veen Grab samples collected during the Mediterranean Trawl Survey (MEDITS) between the years 2004-2008 (excluding 2006). These data were gathered on DFA's own initiative in order to gather baseline data about the substratum, which influences the distribution of the fishing resources within the GSA 15.These data was included as part of the dataset used for one of the co-financed EU LIFE+ Funding Programmes - LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project.

Position of the Aquaculture boundary farms were taken from Notices to Mariners and from observations carried out by the Department (GPS positions).This data was included as part of the dataset used for one of the co-financed EU LIFE+ Funding Programmes - LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project.

Regulations are in place to spatially manage offshore trawling efforts within the FMZ: trawling within the 25 nautical mile zone can, according to legislation, only take place at designated sites (detailed in Annex Va of EC 1967/2006 and as amended in 2012). These trawlable areas were chosen when Malta joined the EU in 2004, and were based on an FAO study on the location of areas suitable for trawling in Maltese waters carried out in 1976 / 1977 (Giudicelli, 1978). In addition trawling is only allowed within the FMZ by vessels not exceeding an overall length of 24 m, and the overall capacity of the trawlers allowed to fish in the zone can not exceed 4 800 kW. Moreover, the total fishing effort of all vessels is not allowed to exceed an overall engine power and tonnage of 83 000 kW and 4 035 GT respectively, and the fishing capacity of any single vessel with a license to operate at less than 200 m depth can not exceed 185 kW. This data was utilised by one of the co-financed EU LIFE+ Funding Programmes - LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project.

These datasets (Jan, Feb, April-December 2014) were produced in aggregated maps by showing the intensity of VMS (and not the effort) by the use of VMSBase-free software and Rstudio software (2009-2014, Inc. Version 0.98.1091) through a knowledge gained at VMSBase Training course, IMC-CNR, Ancona, Italy held in October 2015. This data was included as part of the dataset used for one of the co-financed EU LIFE+ Funding Programmes - LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project.

The Geographical Sub-Areas (GSAs) were established under the RES-GFCM/33/2009/2 - Establishment of Geographical Sub-Areas in the GFCM area amending the resolution GFCM/31/2007/2. The dataset only shows the GSA15 which is the GSA in which the Maltese Islands are found. For all the GSAs, one must refer to the legislation mentioned above or the following website: http://www.fao.org/gfcm/data/map-geographical-subareas/en/

Positions of Coralligenous point data were extracted from the below three different scientific papers and merged into one dataset: 1) Taviani, M., Dimech, M., Mifsud, C., Freiwald, A., Harasewyech, M.G. and Oliveriom, M. (2009). Coralliophilinae (Gastropoda: Muricidae) associated with deep water coral banks in the Mediterranean. THE NAUTILUS 123(3):106-112.2)Schembri, P.J., Dimech, M., Camilleri, M., and Page, R.(2007). Living water Lophelia and Madrepora corals in Maltese waters (Strait of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea). Cah. Biol. Mar. 48: 77- 83. 3) Freiwald, A., Beuck, L., Ruggeberg, A., Taviani, M., and Hebbeln, D. (2009). The White coral community in the Central Mediterranean Sea revealed by ROV surveys. Oceanography Vol 22, No1. This data was utilised by one of the co-financed EU LIFE+ Funding Programmes - LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project.

In December 2015, DFA gathered first hand data from diving schools in Malta and Gozo on the location of submerged and partially submerged marine caves along the coastline of the Maltese Islands, as part of the LIFE+ Benthic Habitat Research for Marine Natura 2000 Site Designation (LIFE BaĦAR for N2K) purpose of the project. This data was funded by of one of the co-financed EU LIFE+ Funding Programmes - LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project.

These datasets were manipulated and produced in aggregated maps by showing the intensity of VMS (and not the effort) by a methodology used in the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Since most of the vessels are under 12 m and have no VMS, these maps represents only a fraction of the vessels - 24% of the vessels targeting dolphinfish (lampuki). For this datasets of vessel trips targeting dolphinfish, at a speed of 4-5knots (indicative of hauling) was taken into consideration. This data was funded by of one of the co-financed EU LIFE+ Funding Programmes - LIFE BaĦAR for N2K project.