PROTOMEDEA

PROTecting MEDiterranean EAst (PROTOMEDEA)

Aim: To design a Marine Protected Area (MPA) network, taking into account the protection of ecological characteristics and Essential Fish Habitats (EFH), significant areas for fisheries, as well as their socio-economic impacts.

Objectives: The project focuses on proposing Marine Protected Area (MPA) networks aiming to achieve the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Within this context, mapping of existing MPAs and EFHs is foreseen, while the development of ECOPATH models in selected MPAs will be considered, using previous and new data, in order to assess the current overall contribution of MPAs in fisheries sustainability. Additionally, what-if scenarios of MPAs’ impacts on MSY and ECOPATH/ECOSPACE models will be evaluated and discussed with a wide range of stakeholders in order to propose commonly agreed and more effective MPAs in the study areas. Moreover, different management schemes will be developed and examined in order to support the optimization of fisheries management.

Study Sites: Cyprus and the Aegean Sea

Funded By: European Union DG MARE

Collaborators: HCMR, University of Aegean, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, National Park of Alonissos Northern Sporades, Consiglio Nazionale delle Riserche, University of Cyprus