Marine protected areas in the high seas of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Seas, some proposals

Abstract

Abstract Marine living resources are diminishing in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Sea and marine biological diversity is facing various threats such as overfishing, ship originated pollution, exotic species and by-catch.Designation of High Sea Marine Protected Areas [HSMPA] is believed will improve protection of the marine biodiversity in the Eastern Mediterranean including the Aegean Sea. Concerted action and international cooperation is needed for the joint management effort in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.Designation of HSMPA in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Seas will be examined. Five HSMPA in the Aegean Sea and three in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea are proposed following the criteria in the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), which include uniqueness, life history stages of species, importance for threatened, endangered species and or habitats, vulnerability, fragility, sensitivity or slow recovery and biological productivity.

Keywords

• Key words: Aegean Sea, high seas, marine protected areas, Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey

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