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• How does this regional policy framework relate to the existing initiative you are evaluating in
your case study?
The regional policy framework above described is related to the “Sicily” sub-case study by a need to
protect the “hot spots” of biodiversity in the SoS by human pressures (illegal fishing, wind mills,
maritime traffic). From the environmental and cultural aspects, Egadi MPA has the requisites to be a
SPAMI sites. However, the absence of management plan with clear objectives, the lack of monitoring
for the evaluation of the MPA and the complex institutional landscape are probably the main reasons
which prevent the Egadi Islands to be included in the SPAMI list. The creation of an protecting
ecologically representative MPA network in the Mediterranean, could be a valid instrument to met the
need of nature conservation in the SoS and an incentive for an efficient governance system in the
Egadi MPA.

• A brief description on the implementation of the regional policy framework in relevant
countries, based on existing information wherever feasible.

To date, the SPAMI List includes 25 sites, giving them their recognition by the 21 riparian countries
of the Mediterranean as marine protected areas.
Egadi MPA is not included among the 25 sites yet mainly due to the absence of a management plan
which is one of the requisites to be included in the SPAMI list.

In 2009, the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention adopted a regional working programme
for the coastal and marine protected areas in the Mediterranean, including the high sea.
Through two main projects, the MAP/RAC-SPA provides technical and financial support for the
countries to undertake the activities of this regional work programme:

- A “Project for the Development of a Mediterranean Marine and Coastal Protected Areas Network
through the boosting of Mediterranean MPAs creation and management in areas within national
jurisdiction of eastern and southern Mediterranean countries” (MedMPAnet Project), which consists in
enhancing the effective conservation of regionally important coastal and marine biodiversity features
in areas under national jurisdiction. This will be achieved through a series of demonstration activities
and targeted capacity-building exercises that will be conducted in the countries involved in the project.

- A project for facilitating the establishment of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance
(SPAMIs) in open seas, including the deep seas. Its working methodology aims at enhancing the
governance of the areas that lie in the open seas using a sub-regional or local approach, in order to
ensure the conservation of the biodiversity of these areas and guarantee the sustainable use of their
marine resources.
The last project is implemented by UNEP-MAP-RAC/SPA and financially supported by the European
Commission according a two phases process:
Phase I: Identification of priority conservation areas in the Mediterranean open seas, including the
deep seas (2008 – 2009)
Phase II: Support to the Parties to the Barcelona Convention for the establishment of MPAs in open
seas areas, including the deep seas (2010 – 2011)

The two projects pursue the same overall objective of creating an ecologically representative marine
protected areas network in the Mediterranean region.

In 2010, scientific experts and national representatives of the UNEP/MAP specialised in biodiversity
and Specially Protected Areas identified twelve areas in the Mediterranean, which present specific
interest for biodiversity conservation, in view to promoting the establishment of a representative
ecological network of protected areas in the Mediterranean.
The SoS is one of the twelve Specially Protected Areas proposed for biodiversity conservation in the
Mediterranean (Figure 5).

References

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