Developing PSSA in the Mediterranean
A Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) is an area that needs special protection because of its significance for recognized ecological or socio-economic or scientific reasons and which may be vulnerable to damage by international maritime activities. These areas are designated by the IMO(International maritime Organization) upon request from its Member States.
In the framework of the Cooperation Agreement between IMELS and UNEP/MAP, REMPEC and SPA/RAC collaborated to provide guidance to Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention on PSSAs identification. PSSAs can indeed serve as an important tool for the conservation of the marine environment in the Mediterranean, in addition to nationally designated marine protected areas and other area-based management tools.
To do so, a workshop focusing on the Adriatic area and a Mediterranean seminar on PSSAs were organized on December 2019 in Tirana, Albania, with the aim to build a solid knowledge base among the Contracting Parties, and to facilitate them to consider the possibility of pursuing on demands to IMO for the designation of PSSAs in the Mediterranean, with support from the Barcelona Convention Secretariat and relevant MAP Regional Activity Centres.
Work carried out in this area is expected to have a clear impact for the future of PSSAs in the region and more generally for the implementation of joint management measures at regional and sub-regional levels towards achievement of Good Environmental Status of the Mediterranean sea and coasts (GES). Indeed, several countries expressed their willingness to continue working on the definition of PSSAs in areas of their interest. The training and information provided in these meetings can support them to pursue the preparation of PSSAs proposals to IMO.
Link to seminar and workshop packages of outputs:
https://rac-spa.org/sites/default/files/meetings/pssa_seminar.zip
https://rac-spa.org/sites/default/files/meetings/pssa_workshop.zip
Draft Guidance Document with regard to identifying and designating Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas in relation to Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance
Under the guidance of the Coordinating Unit, REMPEC in coordination with SPA/RAC, contributed to further exploring the possibilities of identifying and designating Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) in the Mediterranean sea as a way to enhance the protection of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMIs) that are marine areas with significant ecological, socio-economic, or scientific attributes.
More specifically, the “Draft Guidance Document with regard to identifying and designating Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas in relation to Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance” was prepared and submitted to the Adriatic Regional Workshop on PSSAs and Mediterranean Seminar on PSSAs (Tirana, Albania, 10-13 December 2019), co-organised by SPA/RAC, REMPEC, PAP/RAC and the UNEP/MAP Coordinating Unit. During these meetings, the participants were provided with solid information on the identification and designation of PSSAs, including legal and procedural requirements to be followed as well as measures to be taken, and the practical experience relating to their implementation.
REMPEC will soon be carrying out the necessary consultations with all Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention on the draft document, through a REMPEC Circular Letter, with a view to incorporating their feedback and comments prior to its submission to the Fourteenth Meeting of the Focal Points of REMPEC (25-27 May 2021) for review and recommendations.