Page 4 - ebsaws-2014-03

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Table oI contents

1. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 4
2. General overview and analysis of existing information ............................................................... 6

2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Historical background....................................................................................................... 7
2.3 State of the art ................................................................................................................. 9

2.3.1 Sub-regional classification ......................................................................................... 9
2.3.2 Biophysical features of the Mediterranean High Seas.............................................. 11
2.3.3 Biodiversity of the Mediterranean High Seas ........................................................... 15
2.3.4 Current status of protection in the Mediterranean High Seas ................................... 20
2.3.5 Distribution of human threats ................................................................................... 20
3. Definition of operational criteria for the site selection process .................................................. 22
3.1 Currently existing marine protected area selection criteria .............................................. 22
3.1.1 SPAMI selection criteria (Annex I of the SPA/BD Protocol to the Barcelona
Convention)........................................................................................................................ 22
3.1.2 CBD ecological criteria and biogeographic classification systems for marine areas in
need of protection............................................................................................................... 24
3.1.3 Other criteria............................................................................................................. 26
3.2 Criteria adapted for Mediterranean ABNJ site selection .................................................. 29
4. Potential SPAMI sites in Mediterranean Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction ........................... 35
4.1 Overview of Process for Selecting Potential SPAMI Sites ............................................... 35
4.2 Overview of Mediterranean EBSAs ................................................................................. 36
4.3 Details of polygons used to designate EBSAs................................................................. 42
4.4 Resulting potential SPAMI sites in the Mediterranean ABNJ. .......................................... 60
5. Roadmap for the successful implementation of SPAMIs in Mediterranean Areas Beyond
National Jurisdiction...................................................................................................................... 63
5.1 Strategic plan for catalyzing SPAMI planning and designation ........................................ 64
5.2 Targeted research in potential SPAMI sites .................................................................... 64
5.3 Analyses to guide recommended MPA design at each SPAMI site ................................. 66
6. Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................... 67
7. Literature cited ......................................................................................................................... 68