Improving the performance of Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas

This project ultimately aims at improving the effectiveness of Mediterranean MPAs. This overall goal will be achieved by 1) analyzing existing and new data, 2) carrying on an innovative ‘organizational analysis’ and 3) communicating MPA science.

• A first phase will consist of collecting and analyzing the available data at Mediterranean scale on MPAs (existing data from publications and reports, and new data through fieldwork, especially at the MPAs where data are scanty or totally lacking) to make the point about their (mostly ecological) effectiveness.
• In a second phase, an ‘organizational analysis’ will be carried out on a number of MPAs to see which aspects of their internal organization (conceiving MPAs as enterprises) may affect their effectiveness (directly on ecological components like fish communities, and indirectly on fisheries and other ecosystem functions).
• Finally, a significant investment will be done on communicating/disseminating scientific results about Mediterranean MPAs via scientific papers, a web site, a facebook page, TVs, newspapers, magazines. This work will allow to publish the Booklet ‘The Science of Marine Reserves-Mediterranean version’, in collaboration to the PISCO working group.