Mediterranean Basin

"The monk seal’s recovery is a testament to the years of dedicated conservation efforts from governments and conservation groups. Historically, these seals were found throughout the entire Mediterranean and Black Seas, along with the Archipelagos of the Canary, Madeira and Azores Islands, the northwestern coast of Africa, and the northeastern Atlantic's Iberian Peninsula. The current monk seal population is estimated at about 450 to 600 mature individuals; found in three main clusters: two in the Atlantic and one in the Eastern Mediterranean. The population in Greek waters is witnessing the most rapid growth . . . However, monk seal populations still face many threats on their road to recovery, including habitat destruction, the encroachment of tourism on their nesting sites, disease, pollution, and deadly encounters with fishing gear. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to sustain and amplify our conservation efforts."

"Originally from the Indo-Pacific region, lionfish species Pterois miles and Pterois volitans are considered the most successful invasive fishes in marine ecosystems. They have established a presence in the eastern Mediterranean, with observations now extending to colder waters previously thought to be unsuitable for the species. Lionfish exert a significant ecological impact on the ecosystems they invade through their predatory behavior. As generalist predators, they voraciously consume a wide variety of native fish species, including those of high conservation value and endemic to the region . . . The presence of lionfish can lead to a decline in the abundance and diversity of native fish populations, potentially disrupting the delicate balance of the ecosystem."

"Overfishing is declining in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, according to a new report from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) . . . The report reveals that the percentage of overfished stocks in the Mediterranean and Black Sea has dropped below 60% for the first time. This marks a "significant" decline . . . demonstrating a consistent reduction in fishing pressure over the past decade - and a 15% improvement over the last year. And, while concerns about overfishing persist, the report indicates a 31% decrease in fishing pressure since 2012 . . . The report notes that although the over-exploitation of fish stocks has "significantly" reduced, the sector still faces challenges. Key amongst these is sustainability, with fishing pressure in the Mediterranean and Black Sea still at twice the level considered sustainable. However, fishery management and other measures do seem to be producing some positive results."

"At the bottom of the Mediterranean off the North African coast is a looming ecological crisis no less severe in its consequences than the felling of rainforests. Seagrass, of the species posidonia oceanica, which is also called Mediterranean tapeweed or Neptune grass, is fast declining; a cause for concern given the plant captures carbon dioxide and produces oxygen in a greater amount per square metre than the Amazon rainforest . . . The meadows formed by the plant constitute a habitat for fragile species, such as the seahorse (hippocampus ramulosus) and giant mussel, which are now hard to find. Mediterranean tapeweed may also be one of the oldest living species. In some instances, the age of a meadow could be more than 80,000 years old . . . A 2015 study stated that during the past 50 years there has been a 34 percent decline or degradation in the plant's distribution area. The situation is likely to have worsened since."

"Recent studies have shown that more than 90% of the warming that happened on Earth between 1971-2010 occurred in the ocean, with the Mediterranean reaching record levels as the fastest-warming – and increasingly the saltiest – sea. In addition, the semi-enclosed Mediterranean is one of the most heavily exploited seas in the world, and it’s being stretched to breaking point by competing economic sectors and environmental pressures. Marine biodiversity is already under enormous strain and declining from pollution, coastal development, eutrophication, shipping, the introduction of alien species through ballast waters, energy and other anthropic drivers; and decades of poorly managed fisheries have left about three-quarters of assessed stocks overfished."

"The Mediterranean Sea is turning into a dangerous plastic trap, with record levels of pollution from microplastics threatening marine species and human health . . . Today, plastic represents 95 per cent of the waste floating in the Mediterranean and lying on its beaches. Most of this plastic is released into the sea from Turkey and Spain, followed by Italy, Egypt and France, with tourists visiting the region increasing marine litter by 40 per cent each summer."

"The introduction of the highly venomous Indo-Pacific lionfish into the western Atlantic is one of the most disastrous marine invasions to date." The lionfish are considered thought to enter into the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. "Major enlargements of the Suez Canal (2010, 2015) have enhanced its potential as a “corridor”, allowing increasingly greater numbers of organisms through – including the lionfish. Complex changes in the Mediterranean marine environment have undoubtedly increased it susceptibility to invasion by modifying its hydrologic and biological properties."

"As Egypt celebrates the 50th anniversary of the start of the construction of the Aswan High Dam, some scientists say that this wonder of engineering is contributing to an environmental catastrophe that could force millions of its citizens to abandon the lush, fertile delta. The worst of these is coastal erosion and subsidence, the compacting of the delta soil. For millennia, the untamed Nile compensated for these natural processes by delivering fresh sediments along with its fresh water. The dam, however, now blocks the sediments far upstream of Cairo. As a result, the delta is sinking. At the same time, the Mediterranean Sea is expected to rise as a result of global warming."

"An independent review commissioned by ICCAT in 2008 called ICCAT's eastern bluefin policies a “travesty of fisheries management” and “an international disgrace.” But even this did not motivate governments to act in the interest of a long-term, profitable, and sustainable fishery. In 2008, an ICCAT stock assessment showed that the eastern bluefin population had fallen to nearly 60 percent below the 1970 level. In 2009, many governments and environmental organizations called for a suspension of international trade in bluefin. ICCAT finally responded by reducing quotas to scientifically recommended levels."

"Although the Mediterranean Sea makes up less than 1% of the global ocean surface, up to 18% of the world’s macroscopic marine species are found "there, of which 25 to 30% are endemic . . . In addition to its thousands of species of fauna and flora, the Mediterranean region is home to some 455 million human inhabitants, from a wide variety of countries and cultures . . . The region also receives a large number of visitors: in 2005, 246 million people – 31% of all international tourists – visited the Mediterranean . . . Many visitors to the region are drawn by its natural beauty, but heavy pressure from visitors and residents alike is causing severe environmental degradation. Urbanization, coastal development, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources such as marine fish are just some of the many human activities that are leading to an ever-increasing number of Mediterranean species to be facing a high risk of extinction."

As many as 85% of the fish stocks are in trouble. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, half are already fully exploited and more than a third are depleted or overexploited. The Mediterranean has a number of commercially important species, including bluefin tuna, swordfish, marlin, hake and sea bream. It's not surprising when the scale of fishing is considered. Fishermen are taking double what they could catch fifty years ago. It is not just the scale of the catch that is the problem. As fishermen find fewer and fewer fish, they are taking smaller and younger ones to feed the demand, leaving wild stocks with less chance to reproduce and sustain their population. Selective fishing also means that much of what is snared in nets and on lines is thrown back into the sea, dead or dying, as by-catch. Trawlers throw away from 20 - 70% of what comes up in their nets. Other means of fishing are equally destructive. Driftnets in the Mediterranean, often 10-12 kilometres in length, have significant by-catch, including whales and dolphins. In the Alboran Sea, driftnets are threatening the last healthy population of common dolphins in the Mediterranean. Driftnets have been banned from the Mediterranean, yet their use still continues."

"The Mediterranean receives more than 600,000 tons of oils pollution on average each year, making it one of the most oil-polluted seas in the world, and its beaches spotted with tar reflect that fact. Tour vessels also dump garbage and sewage, and fishing boats jettison unwanted dead fish and every kind of trash imaginable."

“The Isthmus of Suez is one of the most important bottlenecks in the world for migrating soaring birds, particularly birds of prey...Suez suffers from...oil pollution [and] improper dumping of chemical waste and pesticides into exposed canals... Sick, oiled and dying birds of prey are not unusual sights.”

"The Pelagos Sanctuary is the only international sea area dedicated to the protection of marine mammals and their habitats in the Mediterranean Sea. It was established by a Multilateral Agreement between France, Italy and Monaco signed in Rome in 1999, which came into force in 2002 . . . The main role of the Pelagos Agreement is to promote harmonised actions and management measures for the protection of cetaceans and their habitats against all causes of human-induced disturbance and mortality."