Mediterranean MPA Governance & Capacity Building — SPA/RAC
Client
SPA/RAC – Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (UNEP/MAP)
Region
Mediterranean Sea — Türkiye
Year
2022
Areas
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Governance, Capacity Building, Stakeholder Engagement, Training & Facilitation
Short Summary
Technical consultancy and facilitation support for a regional capacity-building programme focused on improving Marine Protected Area (MPA) governance and management effectiveness across the Mediterranean region.
The project brought together marine conservation professionals from multiple Mediterranean countries to strengthen knowledge exchange, participatory governance approaches and practical management capacities for Marine Protected Areas.
Key Contributions
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- Lead technical consultant and facilitator for a 5-day regional workshop on Marine Protected Area governance and management in Gökova Bay, Türkiye.
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- Delivery of training and practical sessions focused on MPA governance, management planning and stakeholder engagement approaches.
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- Facilitation of knowledge exchange between marine conservation professionals from Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Türkiye and Libya.
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- Contribution to discussions on participatory governance, collaborative management and effective MPA implementation.
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- Organization and facilitation of field visits and exchanges with local stakeholders and marine conservation practitioners in Gökova Bay.
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- Collaboration with local organizations and marine conservation actors to showcase community-based and co-management approaches within Marine Protected Areas.
Results & Impact
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- Strengthened governance and management capacities among Marine Protected Area professionals across the Mediterranean region.
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- Contribution to regional knowledge exchange and collaboration on effective MPA governance approaches.
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- Increased understanding of participatory management and stakeholder engagement models within Mediterranean MPAs.
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- Support for practical learning and peer-to-peer exchange through field-based governance experiences in Gökova Bay.
Related Resources
1. SPA/RAC – Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (UNEP/MAP)
Official website of the SPA/RAC, supporting Marine Protected Areas and biodiversity conservation across the Mediterranean.
Link: https://www.spa-rac.org
2. Building Capacities for the Mediterranean MPA Socio-Economic Sustainability
Official SPA/RAC article describing the regional training course held in Gökova Bay (Türkiye) in November 2022, including the workshop facilitated by Patricia Puig and the regional capacity-building programme for MPA managers.
Link: https://spa-rac.org/en/building-capacities-for-the-mediterranean-mpa-socio-economic-sustainability/
3. IMAP-MPA Project (European Union & UNEP/MAP)
Official project page describing the regional programme under which the capacity-building activities were implemented, including MPA management, governance, training and exchange of best practices across the Mediterranean.
Link: https://spa-rac.org/en/themes/imap-mpa/
4. Capacity Building Strategy to Enhance the Management of MPAs in the Mediterranean Sea
Foundational regional strategy developed jointly by WWF, MedPAN and SPA/RAC that underpins many of the Mediterranean MPA capacity-building initiatives.
Link: https://www.wwfmmi.org/?206184%2FReport-Capacity-building-strategy-to-enhance-the-management-of-MPAs-in-the-Mediterranean-sea=