The Annual Consultative Meeting on Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) and Coastal Partners serves as a global platform for knowledge exchange and strategic dialogue. It brings together key actors in coastal management, marine science, and biodiversity conservation to share insights and foster collaboration.
SPA/RAC took an active part in this important gathering, which brings together stakeholders from Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded initiatives, as well as other marine and coastal programmes. Participants included representatives from Regional Seas programmes, Fisheries Management Organizations, international NGOs, and regional and local leaders.
SPA/RAC contributed to several thematic roundtables, including:
- Stakeholder engagement
- Citizen science
- The use of artificial intelligence in Ecosystem-Based Management
In addition, SPA/RAC participated in a panel on mainstreaming the LME approach into global frameworks. The discussion focused on how the MedProgramme (Child Project 3.1) and the FishEBM MED Project are supporting the global marine and coastal agenda. Panelists included Tatjana Hema (UNEP/MAP Coordinator), Anna Carlson (GFCM), Sabria Bnouni (Tunisia), and Djurdjina Bulatovic (Montenegro).
Beyond experience-sharing, the meeting also helped reinforce partnerships and identify synergies with broader global environmental and policy processes.
