A regional network of sustainable managed areas as the way forward for the implementation of an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management in the Mediterranean

In the Mediterranean there are a number of key issues that demand attention in relation to the application of Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management. First, this region is considered a biodiversity hotspot where the pressures of human activities on ecosystems are predicted to increase. Second, fisheries in the Mediterranean, despite its significant impact, have not adopted the widely advocated ecosystem-based management. And third, the complex political situation in the Mediterranean, with many countries involved and a large fraction of international waters obstructs the adoption of a common management strategy. The way forward for ecosystem protection requires an enhancement of marine spatial planning, throughout the establishment of a network of sustainable managed areas. This network should be implemented at the Mediterranean regional scale, improving and integrating the best available knowledge to inform decision making and develop regional-based strategies. A regional management body should assume the coordination to ensure the success of a common strategy and safeguard the correct functioning of an ecosystem-based management. But first Mediterranean countries need to overcome their lack of cooperation and adopt a trans-boundary strategy.

► The Mediterranean Sea is an important biodiversity hotspot.
► Fisheries in the Mediterranean have not adopted an ecosystem approach to management.
► The complex political situation in the Mediterranean partly hampers the adoption of an ecosystem approach.
► The way forward for ecosystems conservation requires the development of regional-based strategies.
► A network of protected areas should be the core driver of the regional scale ecosystem approach to fisheries management.