Mediterranean training session on ecological monitoring in MPAs

The MedMPAnet Project has organized a second regional training session on the ecological monitoring in MPAs, on 23-28 September 2012, as a continuation of the first Mediterranean training session on the identification and classification techniques of marine and coastal species for the ecological monitoring on the MPAs held on 25 September - 1 October 2011.

The main objective of the 2012 training session was to continue strengthening the capacity and skills of MPA managers, lead staff and practitioners, in the Mediterranean countries, by providing them with the tools and know-how needed to improve their knowledge on the issue.

The session on the ecological monitoring in MPAs has been convened in collaboration with the University of Alicante (Spain) and took place in its Marine Research Centre of the Santa Pola (CIMAR) and the Marine Reserve of Nueva Tabarca. It has been delivered by a group of professors and focused on field work. Twelve participants from eight Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, Libya, Montenegro, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey) participated in the session.

The participants spent two days at the Nueva Tabarca Marine Reserve and were able to exchange ideas on the management aspects and on biodiversity recovery. Furthermore, field work was also conducted by the participants in two different areas of the marine reserve in order to assess the effect of the protection on fish, limpets, sea urchins and macro-algae.