When assessing the technical and financial capabilities of an applicant for a licence, special attention shall be paid to any environmentally sensitive marine and coastal environments, in particular ecosystems which play an important role in mitigation and adaptation to climate change, such as salt marshes and sea grass beds, and marine protected areas, such as special areas of conservation pursuant to the Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (
3
), special protection areas pursuant to the Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (
4
), and marine protected areas as agreed by the Union or Member States concerned within the framework of any international or regional agreements to which they are a party.