Acronym MEDISEH
Category
Fisheries
Title Mediterranean sensitive habitats Programme DG MARE
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source European Coordinator Marianna Giannoulaki Coordinator email marianna@hcmr.gr
Coordinator institution
NA
Institutions involved
COISPA - COISPA Technology and Research (Italy) ,
CIBM - Consorzio per il Centro Interuniversitario di Biologia Marina ed Ecologia Applicata (Italy) ,
MCFS - Malta Centre for Fisheries Sciences (Malta) ,
CoNISMa - National Interuniversity Consortium for Marine Sciences (Italy) ,
CNR - National Research Council (Italy) ,
IEO - Spanish Institute of Oceanography (Spain) ,
Start year 2011 End year 2013 Funding (€) € 161,197 Website https://imbriw.hcmr.gr/mediseh/ Summary MEDISEH, is a framework contract financed by DG MARE, focusing on Mediterranean Sensitive Habitats in a bifold way. Within a fisheries management perspective and in accordance to the ecosystem approach to fisheries and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the project aims on the compilation of information on historical and current data on the locations and the status of seagrass beds, coralligenous and mäerl beds all over the Mediterranean basin, the identification and mapping of suitable areas for Posidonia, coralligenous and mäerl communities by developing habitat distribution models at different spatial scales. In addition, information is compiled on existing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean area as well as Fishing Restricted Areas (FRAs) that are under any form of national or international regulation. Moreover within a more fisheries oriented way, the project also focused on the compilation and mapping of the information that is associated to the location of nursery and spawning aggregations for several small pelagic and demersal fish species included in Appendix VII of Council Regulation (EC) No 199/2008 as well as for the species subject to minimum size (Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006-Annex III). Integration and dissemination of the information is done through a Geographic Information System (GIS), integrating environmental dimension into fisheries management, operating as a consulting tool for spatial management and conservation planning.
Goals:
(1) Review of historical and current data on the locations and the status of seagrass beds, coralligenous and mäerl beds in different GSAs (Geographical Sub-Areas amending the Resolution GFCM/31/2007/2) all over the Mediterranean basin; (2)Transform the information into a digitalized format within the framework of a geodatabase; (3) Review and map of all existing specific Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean area as well as areas that are under any form of national or international regulation; (4) Identify and map suitable areas for Posidonia, coralligenous and mäerl communities by developing habitat distribution models at different spatial scales; (5) Review and map all existing information on historical and current data of nurseries and spawning grounds of certain small pelagic (i.e., Engraulis encrasicolus, Sardina pilchardus, Scomber spp., Trachurus spp.) and demersal species (i.e., Aristaeomorpha foliacea, Aristeus antennatus, Merluccius merluccius, Mullus barbatus, Mullus surmuletus, Nephrops norvegicus, Parapenaeus longirostris, Pagellus erythrinus, Galeus melastomus, Raja clavata, Illex coindetti, Eledone cirrosa) that are included in the Data Collection Framework for the Mediterranean and subjected to minimum landing size based on Council Regulation No 1967/2006-Annex II; (6) Analyse existing survey data and apply spatial analysis techniques in order to identify locations that are more likely to be density hot spot areas or are being more suitable for fish nurseries and spawning grounds for Engraulis encrasicolus, Sardina pilchardus, Scomber spp., Trachurus trachurus, Aristaeomorpha foliacea, Aristeus antennatus, Merluccius merluccius, Mullus barbatus, Mullus surmuletus, Nephrops norvegicus, Parapenaeus longirostris, Pagellus erythrinus, Galeus melastomus, Raja clavata, Illex coindetti, Eledone cirrosa. These areas will also be characterized from an environmental and ecological perspective upon data availability; (7) Integrate and present the aforementioned information through a Web-based GIS viewer with an associated geo-referenced database that will operate as a consulting tool for spatial management and conservation planning; (8) Following the revision of the knowledge base, to identify gaps and suggest future research priorities.
Keywords
Nursery area;
Habitat mapping;
Fish habitat;
Fisheries management;
MPA;
Spawning area;
Marine Region
74
Northern Adriatic (GSA 17)
49
Gulf of Lions (GSA 7)
61
Eastern Ionian Sea (GSA 20)
57
Southern Alboran Sea (GSA 3)
75
Northern Tunisia (GSA 12)
53
Northern Spain (GSA 6)
45
Southern Adriatic Sea (GSA 18)
47
Ligurian and North Tyrrhenian Sea (GSA 9)
46
Corsica Island (GSA 8)
58
Southern Ionian Sea (GSA 21)
71
South of Sicily (GSA 16)
55
Algeria (GSA 4)
52
Northern Alboran Sea (GSA 1)
56
Alboran Island (GSA 2)
64
Crete Island (GSA 23)
51
Sardinia (west) (GSA 11.1)
72
Gulf of Hammamet (GSA 13)
69
Gulf of Gabes (GSA 14)
54
Balearic Island (GSA 5)
60
Western Ionian Sea (GSA 19)
70
Malta Island (GSA 15)
68
South Levant (GSA 26)
48
South Tyrrhenian Sea (GSA 10)
62
Aegean Sea (GSA 22)
67
Levant (GSA 27)
65
North Levant (GSA 24)
50
Sardinia (east) (GSA 11.2)
66
Cyprus Island (GSA 25)
28
Marine Region Map
