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SPA/BD Protocol CBD selection criteria Notes

selection criteria

I. Uniqueness a. Uniqueness or rarity

b. Biological productivity High productivity is a rare feature in
oligotrophic Mediterranean Open
Seas

II. Natural The CBD uses representativeness as
representativeness a way to gauge the value the network
as a whole, not to evaluate individual
sites

III. Diversity c. Biological diversity

IV. Naturalness d. Special importance for life Enhances the biodiversity of an area
history of species
e. Naturalness

V. Presence of habitats f. Importance for threatened, These attributes render a species or
that are critical to endangered or declining habitat particularly susceptible to
endangered, threatened species and/or habitats threats
or endemic species g. Vulnerability, fragility,
sensitivity, slow recovery

VI. Cultural The CBD is not concerned with
representativeness cultural representativeness

Table 3-2. Commonalities SPAMI criteria and CBD criteria.

For the third step in the development of a blueprint of a Mediterranean network of MPAs, i.e., the
identification of sites within each priority conservation area where the creation of SPAMIs is
actually proposed, our recommendation is to follow the process detailed in the CBD report. The
report suggests that planners:

• separately consider the priority conservation area into pelagic and benthic realms;

• identify sites addressing ecological importance and vulnerability;

• address the requirements of ecological coherence through representativity, connectivity and
replication; and finally

• assess the adequacy and viability of the selected sites as functional MPAs based on
considerations of size, shape, buffering and management feasibility.