The Network of Mediterranean Marine Protected Area Managers (MedPAN), in collaboration with the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA), organized its annual regional experience-sharing workshop in Tirana (Albania) from 25 to 27 November 2014.

This year the workshop addressed monitoring practices for Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and brought together MPA managers, scientists, fishery workers, ministry representatives, NGOs and other organizations from all over the Mediterranean and Europe. Participants focused on how to promote specific protocols to harmonize data collection throughout the MPA network.

The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation presented MedMIS, a smartphone app developed to help MPA managers control the spread of invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea (www.iucn-medmis.org). This application with an online tool is designed to facilitate the identification of marine invasive species in Mediterranean MPAs so that monitoring and control programmes can be put in place before they damage native communities. The system is free to download and is available in French, English and Spanish.

This workshop was prepared in partnership with the Ministry of Environment of Albania and APAWA (Association for Protection of Aquatic Wildlife of Albania) and with the support of the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, the French Marine Protected Areas Agency and WWF Mediterranean.

The workshop was made possible thanks to financial support from the MAVA Foundation, the French GEF (FFEM), WWF Mediterranean, RAC/SPA, the Albanian Environment Ministry, the Conservatoire du Littoral, the French MPA Agency, the PACA region of France, the City of Marseille and the French embassy in Albania.

For further information please contact Mar Otero

Photo: 2014 MedPAN workshop group photo, Rodoni Cape, Albania
© MedPAN