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STATUS OF MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Ed Vincent EmpronBSMB
January 26, 2012
Mediterranean Sea
• ‘’Sea at the middle of the earth ’’• ‘’Global biodiversity hot spot’’• ‘’Home to a wealth of marine
resources’’• ‘’A threatened sea’’
Physical Characteristics
• Surface area:• 2.5 million km² (965,000 sq.mi)• ~0.7% of the world’s total ocean area
(Garcia et al. 2010)
• Length: 4,000 km• Width: 800 km• Coastline: 46,000 km• Depth: 5,200m• Average ~ 1,500m (Zenetos et al. 2002)
Physical Characteristics• Bordering Countries:
Spain MoroccoFrance MonacoItaly AlgeriaTunisia CroatiaAlbanian GreeceLibya MaltaTurkey CyprusSyria LebanonIsrael EgyptMontenegro BosniaSlovenia
Chemical Parameters
Environmental Threats
• Invasive species• Opening of the Suez Canal (1869)• lessepsian species (from Red Sea)• 70% of the non-indigenous decapods• 63% exotic fishes
Environmental Threats
• Replacement of indigenous species
MullusUpeneus moluccensis
Environmental Threats
• Replacement of indigenous species
Marsupenaeus japonicus
Penaeus kerathurus
Environmental Threats
• Pollution• United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) • 650,000,000 tons of sewage• 129,000 tons of mineral oil• 60,000 tons of mercury• 3,800 tons of lead• 36,000 tons of phosphates
• Affected Species• Sea turtle• Mediterranean Monk Seal
Environmental Threats
• Eutrophication• Water masses enriched with
nutrients• HABs• Occur from the northern part of
the Mediterranean• Lack of data in the south-eastern
part
Environmental Threats• Shipping• ~220,000 merchant vessels of more
than 100 tons/yr• 1/3 of the world’s total merchant
shipping• between 100,000 tons and 150,000
tons of crude oil/yr – released• ~370,000,000 tons of oil/yr –
transported• 250-300 oil tankers/day – crossing
the sea
Environmental Threats• Tourism• “played major role in the
degradation of the coastal and marine environment”
• caused serious erosion problems – urban developments
• Coastline affected by erosion• Greece – 4,368 km• Italy – 2,349 km• France – 2,803 km
Environmental Threats• Tourism• Produced large amount of solid
waste• Caused a serious treat to natural
habitat of endangered Mediterranean species
Environmental Threats• Overfishing• “biggest environmental threat to
the oceans”• 20% of resources are depleted• 15% are overexploited• 50% are fully exploited (FAO)
• Commercially important stocks• bluefin tuna, albacore, hake,
swordfish, marlin, red mullet and sea bream
Conclusion• The open waters of the Mediterranean can be considered to be
in good condition• In coastal areas, hot spots located in bays near to big cities and
harbors are the major problem of the mediterranean sea due to urban and tourist development
• Most of the benthic and demersal fisheries are more or less overexploited
• All together, Mediterranean Sea is mostly affected by land-based pollution sources (urbanization, industry, harbors, agriculture)
• Therefore, conservation plan, monitoring, sustainable development and resource management of the marine resources of the Mediterranean sea must be enhanced.
• Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area
• Convention on Biological Diversity• United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization• General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean• International Union for Conservation of Nature• Mediterranean Action Plan• The Network of Managers of Marine Protected Areas
in the Mediterranean• Strategic Action Programme for the Conservation of
Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean Region• United Nation Environmental Programme