Tangier Declaration: a boost for Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean
Tangier Declaration: a boost for Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean
By Marie Romani, Executive Secretary of the MedPAN Association
Coming from 35 countries, over 300 key players involved in the marine environment met from 28 November to 1 December 2016 in Tangier, Morocco. They released the Tangier Declaration which is the outcome of a large participatory process involving all stakeholders engaged with MPAs in the Mediterranean. It will be used to update the 2020 Mediterranean MPA Roadmap elaborated at the 2012 MPA Forum in Antalya. This roadmap aims to support the achievement of the international objective set by the Convention on Biological Diversity to protect 10% of the Mediterranean Sea through an effective network of MPAs by 2020. Examples of recommendations and steps that will be considered for the roadmap update:
- The coverage and implementation of no-entry, no-take and no-fishing zones, within either existing or future MPAs, needs to be increased from the current coverage of 0.04% of the Mediterranean Sea to reach at least 2% of no-take zones, especially in key functional areas.
- All MPA sites currently established should benefit from the necessary support for effective, equitable and efficient management by 2020.
- Exchange of experience, best practices and knowledge among MPA managers should be strengthened.
- Win-win relationships of MPAs with decision-makers, donors and private sector need to be created in order to respond to pressures beyond MPA borders, while considering MPAs as a natural capital and a management instrument to reach sustainability targets.
- The Trust Fund for Mediterranean MPAs, an innovative financial mechanism, is supported.
- The crucial role of regional and inter-regional cooperation among human networks working on MPAs, Regional Seas Conventions and relevant regional organizations is recognized.
The full Tangier Declaration includes 33 steps.
The next edition of the Mediterranean MPA Forum will be held in 2020. A final evaluation of the Mediterranean MPA Roadmap will be done then to assess the progress, achievements and identify key steps and targets beyond 2020. The recommendations from the Tangier Declaration will be promoted to be taken into account at national, European, Mediterranean and international levels.
“Marine Protected Areas are everyone’s business!”
For more info, please go to www.medmpaforum2016.org