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SUSTAINABLE FINANCING OF MPAs IN THE MEDITERRANEAN: A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature
with associated ecosystem services and cultural values” (Claudet et al., 2011).
Using this definition, the most recent inventory work on Mediterranean MPAs undertaken by
MedPAN and RAC/SPA in 2012 identified 677 Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean
region (Erreur ! Source du renvoi introuvable.) (Gabrié et al., 2012) - 507 of which are
arine Natura 2000 sites. These MPAs cover 114,600 km², which is about 4.56% of the
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Mediterranean. Excluding the Pelagos Sanctuary (87,500 km ), MPAs in the Mediterranean
cover only 1.1% of the total surface area of the Mediterranean Sea. In 2012, 96% of
Mediterranean MPAs were located in the northern basin (84% if Natura 2000 sites are
excluded) (Gabrié et al., 2012).

Figure 1: Spatial distribution of Mediterranean MPAs
(Source: mapamed.org)

The 2012 analysis of the geographical distribution of MPAs (using a Spatial Analysis Method)
shows that 7.8% of the 12 nautical mile zone is protected in the Mediterranean, with a strong
contribution from the Pelagos Sanctuary (5.5%), and only 2.4 % from all other MPAs. The
area beyond the 12 nautical mile zone, which represents 74% of the Mediterranean surface
area, is less than 3% protected, with Pelagos contributing three quarters of this area (Gabrié
et al., 2012). Figure 2 shows the percentage of the 12 n.m. marine surface area of each
country that is under protection in the Mediterranean. For countries with a national MPA

May 2015 – Vertigo Lab, for MedPAN, RAC/SPA and WWF Med. Page 19