Working to expand the network of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean

SPA/RAC has been working tirelessly for the past months to expand the network of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean in Morocco, Lebanon, Montenegro and Tunisia  (Sub-Component 3.1. Conservation of Coastal and Marine Diversity through the Development of a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network). 

In Morocco, following the selection of priority marine sites suitable to become protected areas, the Cap des Trois Fourches situated in the Northern Moroccan coast near the Nador area, has been identified as the main intervention site to be comprehensively surveyed.
An on-site survey was carried out in September 2012 aiming to complete a rapid natural habitats assessment through data recording, managing and evaluation of all the aspects of zoo/phytobenthic communities and fisheries related to the areas surveyed and with justifiable value for protection as a Marine Protected Area.

With the occasion of the ecological field survey undertaken, an on-the-job training was organized for local experts and students participating in the mission. The training included subjects like sampling techniques on hard and soft bottoms, but also socio-economic and cultural aspects of planning marine protected areas.

In Tunisia, the MedMPAnet Project is working with the national authorities to provide strong ecological and socio‐economic arguments in favour of the development of a Marine Protected Area in Kuriat Islands. At the same time a socioeconomic study was undertaken which identified the stakeholders’ views and their future involvement with the establishment of the MPA. Special emphasis was given to those stakeholders in the fields of fisheries and tourism. The socioeconomic assessment includes concrete proposals for the elaboration of the management plan, already under way.

In Lebanon, a new survey was conducted by RAC/SPA, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment of Lebanon, the National Council for Scientific Research (NCSR) of Beirut and the IUCN bureau in Lebanon, to assess the biological features and ecological interest of three Lebanese sites (Chikaa, Enfeh and Raoucheh) with a view of elaborating management outlines. The studied areas were surveyed from the surface to a depth of 47 m by scuba diving using the hydroplan and transect techniques. The whole coastline and the underwater and surface caves were also visited. Findings will be used to in the development of the management plans proposal.

In Montenegro, a field mission was undertaken in June for the third and last rapid Assessment Survey of coastal habitats in order to help prioritize new areas in need of a protection status. This activity focused on achieving a final assessment of the main relevant aspects in support of the definition of specific protection / management measures in at least three of the following areas: Ulcinj, Katici, Platamuni, Bar, Buljarica, Jaz, Tivat and Kotor.

Among findings to be noted, several locations, such as Trashte Bay, showed high densities of the protected species Pinna nobilis, equivalent to those found in strictly protected areas in other Mediterranean countries. Also high concentration of Posidonia oceanica fruits floating on the sea and on the beaches was recorded.