The development of Blue Economy and Maritime Spatial Planning in the Mediterranean represents a transnational challenge for MPAs. Many maritime sectors are likely to operatemore frequently inside and in the vicinity of MPAs with expected growing environmental impacts, while at the same time, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires to reach a Good Environmental Status of the European Seas by 2020.
The PHAROS4MPAs project seeks to capitalise on existing results, and ultimately deliver an integrated framework for recommendations on the necessary practical collaboration between Mediterranean MPAs and 8 maritime sectors : offshore windfarms, maritime traffic and ports, cruise and super yachts, scuba diving, leisure boating, recreational fisheries, aquaculture, and small scale fisheries.
PAP/RAC is coordinating the research work on the cruise ships and tour boats sectors, and joined the Steering Committee in Chios Island, from 16 to 18 October 2018. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the progress regarding the drafting of the Baseline capitalisation reports and to open up the discussions concerning the sectoral recommendations. The partners exchanged on the definition of a policy brief, where PAP/RAC has a leading role to play with the promotion of the ecosystem-based approach to MSP, and its integration to ICZM.
