The twelve areas identified are: the Alborán Seamounts, the Southern
Balearic, the Gulf of Lions shelf and slope, the Central Tyrrhenian
portion adjacent to the Pelagos Sanctuary, the Tunisian Plateau (more
specifically the Northern Strait of Sicily including Adventure and
nearby Banks and the Southern Strait of Sicily), the Northern and
Central Adriatic, Santa Maria di Leuca in the Ionian Sea and the
Northeastern Ionian, the Thracian Sea (Aegean), the Northeastern
Levantine Sea and Rhodes Gyre, the Nile Delta Region.
France and Spain expressed the intention to pursue their cooperation
wıth regard to the Gulf of Lyons and to consider the possibility of
preparing a proposal for the declaration of a SPAMİ (Specially Protected
Areas of Mediterranean Interest).
Concerning the Balearic Islands area which is situated in the Spanish
zone for the conservation of living marine resources, Spain indicated
the intention to pursue the implementation of the necessary measures in
collaboration wıth the European Commission and taking into account the
ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna)
provisions.
Seizing the oppurtunity of a workshop entitled ‘Towards a representative
MPA [Marine Protected Areas] network in the Adriatic’ in October 2010,
Slovenia invited the countries bordering the Adriatic to take advantage
of this forum to progress towards coordinated measures for establishing
a SPAMİ in this region.
For each site identified, the Secretariat of the Barcelona Convention
will officially contact the authorities of the countries concerned, as
requested by country representatives during the meeting. This step would
be essential to initiate the process of SPAMIs creation, including in
the high seas, and would serve to sensitize decision makers and
competent national institutions concerning the activities developed
under this project.
“Mediterranean countries recognise the need of extending significantly
the list of marine protected areas in the region. In that way they will
be able to protect more effectively the unique Mediterranean
biodiversity, and advance towards achieving CBD targets [Convention on
Biological Diversity]”, said Maria Luisa Silva, UNEP/MAP
Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Coordinator.
“This work is a sound basis to further promote the establishment of new
Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Interest, including in the
high seas, in addition to the 25 areas already established under the
Barcelona Convention and its SPA and Biodiversity Protocol.”
For more information on World Environment Day 2010 and activities
worldwide:
WED website:
http://www.unep.org/wed/2010/english/
Contact: Anne-France White, UNEP Information Officer, +254 20762 3088,
or
anne-france.white@unep.org
(1) WED,
organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) every year since 1972,
is the UN’s biggest global celebration for positive environmental
action. The 2010 theme focuses on the central importance to humanity of
the globe's wealth of species and ecosystems, in support of the 2010 UN
International Year of Biodiversity.
Under the theme 'Many Species. One Planet. One Future', this year’s
event will celebrate the incredible diversity of life on Earth as part
of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. This year’s host
country, Rwanda, was chosen for its combination of environmental
richness, including rare species such as the mountain gorilla, allied to
pioneering green policies.
(2) The
Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) is a regional institution that supports
and coordinates the implementation of the Barcelona Convention and
Protocols which were adopted by the 21 countries bordering the
Mediterranean basin and the European Union for the purposes of
protecting the marine and coastal environments.
SPA/RAC is based in Tunis and focuses on biodiversity and the protection
of Mediterranean species, their habitats and ecosystem.
