Towards a better Governance of the Mediterranean = Vers une meilleure gouvernance de la Mediterranee : report of the IUCN's group of experts 2007-2008

Abstract

Mare nostrum, the Mediterranean Sea, the historic cradle of so many different cultures, is a melting-pot containing all that is at stake in terms of sustainable development and conservation of marine biodiversity. Mare medi terra, this semi-enclosed sea, representing less than 1% of the world’s oceans comprises 10% of the identified marine biodiversity known. The Mediterranean acts as a catalyst for the questions of integrated management of human activities and governance for the following reasons: it supports 1/3 of global maritime traffic, and is home to 150 million people attracting 200 million visitors each year; nearly half of its coastline has become “artificial”; over a quarter of the species of rays and sharks in the Mediterranean are threatened, and because management of fish stocks is a current topic for debate.