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of experts specializing in divergent fields, suggesting that the resulting list of potential SPAMI sites
does point to ecological significance.

Required network Definition Applicable site-specific
criteria
Ecologically and Ecologically and biologically significant areas considerations (inter alia)
biologically are geographically or oceanographically
significant areas discrete areas that provide important services Uniqueness or rarity
to one or more species/populations of an
Representativity ecosystem or to the ecosystem as a whole, Special importance for life history
compared to other surrounding areas or areas
Connectivity of similar ecological characteristics, or stages of species
otherwise meet the criteria as identified in
Replicated annex II. Importance for threatened,
ecological
features Representativity is captured in a network when endangered or declining species
it consists of areas representing the different
Adequate and biogeographical subdivisions of the global and/or habitats /
viable sites oceans and regional seas that reasonably
reflect the full range of ecosystems, including Vulnerability/ fragility/ sensitivity/
the biotic and habitat diversity of those marine
ecosystems. slow recovery
Connectivity in the design of a network allows
for linkages whereby protected sites benefit Biological productivity
from larval and/or species exchanges, and
functional linkages from other network sites. In Biological diversity
a connected network, individual sites benefit
one another. Naturalness

Replication of ecological features means that A full range of examples across a
more than one site shall contain examples of a
given feature in the given biogeographic area. biogeographic habitat or community
The term features means “species, habitats classification; relative health of
and ecological processes” that naturally occur
in the given biogeographic area. species and communities; relative

Adequate and viable sites indicate that all sites intactness of habitat(s); naturalness
within a network should have size and
protection sufficient to ensure the ecological Currents; gyres; physical
viability and integrity of the feature(s) for which
they were selected. bottlenecks; migration routes;

species dispersal; detritus;

functional linkages. Naturally

unconnected sites may also be

included (e.g., isolated seamount

communities)

Accounting for uncertainty, natural

variation and the possibility of

catastrophic events. Features that

exhibit less natural variation or are

precisely defined may require less

replication than features which are

inherently highly variable or are

only very generally defined.

Size; shape; buffers; persistence of

features; threats; surrounding

environment (context); physical

constraints; scale of

features/processes;

spillover/compactness

Table 5-1. Scientific criteria and guidance for selecting areas to establish a representative
network of marine protected areas, including in open ocean waters and deep-sea habitats
(Table 2, Annex III in Convention on Biological Diversity 2008).

Expert opinion can also be used to pinpoint which of the potential SPAMI sites are most in need of
additional research. We therefore propose that an important first step in our roadmap be an
analysis of the information collected – both through expert opinion regarding biodiversity and
through additional studies that have been done on fisheries and deep sea aspects of the
Mediterranean – in order to determine areas most needing attention for additional information
gathering. This information could be in the form of directed oceanographic and ecological research,
as well as directed literature review and further expert consultation specific to the geographies
highlighted in the priority list.