Dark Habitats Action Plan

Overview

Within the framework of the Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean (SPA/BD Protocol), the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention adopted a regional Action Plan for the conservation of habitats and species associated with seamounts, underwater caves and canyons, aphotic hard beds and chemo-synthetic phenomena in the Mediterranean Sea (Dark Habitats Action Plan).

Although they are not legally binding instruments, Regional Action Plans are adopted by the Contracting Parties as strategic frameworks defining common priorities and actions to be implemented. They promote the regional cooperation and coordination necessary for the conservation and sustainable management of the species and habitats concerned. This approach has proven essential to ensure their coherent protection across the Mediterranean.

Habitats concerned

Dark habitats are marine areas where no sunlight reaches, or where light is insufficient to support the development of plant or algal assemblages. They correspond to aphotic and dysphotic (twilight) zones.

They are distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin and include, in particular:

Dark and semi-dark marine caves;
Deep-sea habitats;
Submarine canyons, seamounts, slopes, isolated rocks, and abyssal plains;
Areas associated with chemosynthetic phenomena.

These environments may host sensitive assemblages of particular scientific and conservation interest.

Strategic Orientation

The Action Plan pursues the following objectives:

To develop and improve knowledge of dark habitats and their assemblages, including their distribution, composition, and functioning;
To preserve the integrity and functionality of habitats, maintaining their ecosystem services and biodiversity value;
To encourage the natural restoration of degraded habitats, notably through the reduction of anthropogenic impacts.

These objectives are accompanied by actions to be implemented at national and regional levels.

Implementation

Implementation of the Action Plan is the responsibility of the national authorities of the Contracting Parties.

SPA/RAC ensures regional coordination, facilitates exchanges among countries, supports the development of technical guidance and contributes to capacity-building.

International organisations, NGOs, scientific institutions and laboratories may contribute to its implementation and, where appropriate, obtain the status of Action Plan Partner in accordance with the procedures adopted by the Contracting Parties.

List of the Regional Action Plan’ Partners

The list below has been approved by the Seventeenth Meeting of SPA/BD Focal Points, held in Istanbul from 20 to 22 May 2025.

OCEANA: Fundación Oceana – Oceana in Europe (Spain)
ISPRA: Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Italy)
MedPAN: The Mediterranean network of Marine Protected Areas Managers (France)
WWF Mediterranean: World Wide Fund for Nature – Mediterranean (Italy)
WWF NA: World Wide Fund for Nature – North Africa (Tunisia)