Action Plan for the conservation of marine vegetation in the Mediterranean Sea

Overview

Within the framework of the Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity (SPA/BD Protocol), the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention adopted a regional Action Plan for the conservation of marine vegetation in the Mediterranean Sea.

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

The Action Plan applies to all species of macrophytes inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea.

Particular attention is given to the species listed in Annex II of the SPA/BD Protocol, including marine phanerogams such as Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa, Zostera marina and Zostera noltii, as well as several species of green, brown, and red algae of patrimonial importance.

Given their particular importance for the Mediterranean marine environment, Posidonia oceanica meadows and other significant marine plant formations constitute priorities under the Action Plan.

Ecological role of Posidonia oceanica meadows

This poster is also available in Albanian, Arabic, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Maltese, Montenegrin, Turkish.

Strategic Orientation

The main objectives of this Action Plan are:

To ensure the conservation of macroscopic marine vegetation species and vegetal assemblages in the Mediterranean through the implementation of management and legal protection measures. These measures should also contribute to improving knowledge of the biology and ecology of these species;
To prevent the loss and degradation of seagrass meadows and other significant vegetal assemblages in the marine environment, and to maintain them in a favourable conservation status;
To ensure the conservation of marine vegetal assemblages that may be considered natural monuments, such as Posidonia barrier reefs, surface organogenic formations, terraces (vermetid platforms covered by soft algae), and certain Cystoseira belts.

These objectives are accompanied by priority 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.

NGB: Association Notre Grand Bleu (Tunisia)
ERA : Environment & Resources Authority (Malta)
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)