Protocol concerning specially protected areas and biological diversity in the Mediterranean (SPA and Biodiversity Protocol).

Within the context of the Mediterranean Action Plan, the Contracting Parties hereby undertake to take all the necessary measures to: (a) protect, preserve and manage in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner areas of particular natural or cultural value, notably thorugh the establishment of specially protected areas; (b) protect, preserve and manage threatened or endangered species of flora and fauna. The area to which this Protocol applies is the Area of the Mediterranean Sea as defined in article 1 of the Barcelona Convention, including also: (a) the seabed and its subsoil; (b) the waters, the seabed and its subsoil or the landward side of the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured and extending, in the case of watercourses, up to the freshwater limit; (c) the territorial coastal areas designated by each of the Parties, including wetlands. Part I lays down general provisions. Part II regards the protection of areas. The objective of specially protected areas is to safeguard representative types of coastal and marine ecosystems, habitats and sites of particular importance. The protection measures referred to in article 6 shall be implemented. Article 7 concerns planning, management, supervision and monitoring of specially protected areas. Further provisions regard with detail specially protected areas of Mediterranean importance, to be established by following the procedure regulated under article 9. Part III of the Protocol is devoted to the protection and conservation of species of fauna and flora. The parties shall endeavour to regulate the introduction of non-indigenous or genetically modified species to the wild, and to prohibit those which may have harmful effects on the ecosystems, habitats or species (art. 13). Part IV lays down common provisions common to protected areas and species, including environmental impact assessment (art. 17), information, public awareness and education (art. 19), scientific, technical and management research (art. 20), mutual cooperation and assistance (arts. 21 and 22), reports (art. 23). Part V describes the institutional framework connected with the Protocol. The following three Annexes are attached: (I) Common criteria for the choice of protected marine and environment coastal areas that could be included in the Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance list; (II) List of endangered or threatened spcies; (III) List of species whose exploitation is regulated.