SPA/RAC participated in the MedProgramme Outreach Workshop, organized on 21-22 April 2026 in Tirana, Albania.
The workshop brought together representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, as well as MedProgramme partners and stakeholders, to exchange experiences and identifyopportunities for replication and upscaling of successful initiatives implemented under the MedProgramme.
During Session 2 dedicated to “MedProgramme Success Stories from the Mediterranean region”, SPA/RAC presented the initiative “From assessment to action: building the foundations of a NAP+ for an ecosystem-based fisheries and biodiversity-inclusive blue economy in the Mediterranean”, implemented within the framework of the FishEBM Med project.
Aligning biodiversity, fisheries and blue economy priorities
The presentation highlighted a replicable regional approach developed under the project to help align biodiversity conservation, fisheries and blue economy priorities at the national level.
The approach combines:
- national studies and analyses on the blue economy;
- the development of National Action Plans Plus (NAP+), with the “+” referring to the integration of blue economy considerations into fisheries and biodiversity planning. These NAP+ include strategic priorities, investment plans and pilot actions;
- stakeholder engagement and cross-sector dialogue involving fisheries, environment and other relevant sectors.
The methodology is being implemented progressively across several Mediterranean countries, with different levels of advancement depending on the national context. By the end of the project, the expected outputs include:
- 5 national studies in Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Libya, and Montenegro;
- 4 NAP+ and investment plans in Libya, Montenegro, Morocco and Tunisia;
- pilot blue economy actions implemented in Montenegro, Morocco and Tunisia.
Montenegro is the first country to have advanced to the NAP+ development phase. A first national NAP workshop was held in February 2026 with strong participation from national stakeholders. The workshop initiated discussions on priorities, key pressures and pathways towards a more biodiversity-inclusive blue economy in the country.
FishEBM MED is a regional initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by FAO and UNEP/MAP, in collaboration with GFCM and SPA/RAC. The project supports Mediterranean countries in advancing ecosystem-based fisheries management and integrating biodiversity into blue economy planning.
