The marine biodiversity centre at the service of the Mediterranean countries
The Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC) is an environmental organization established in Tunis in 1985 following a decision by the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention).
SPA/RAC is one of the seven Components of the United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP) - Barcelona Convention system. Its mission consists in supporting the Contracting Parties in implementing the Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean (SPA/BD Protocol).
The Centre works closely with governmental and non-governmental organizations to conserve and sustainable manage threatened species, ecosystems and areas of particular natural and cultural value in the Mediterranean Sea.
SPA/RAC main activities
- supporting Mediterranean countries in the creation and effective management of marine protected areas and Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance in the Mediterranean (SPAMIs);
- developing and implementing strategies and action plans for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of natural resources;
- inventorying, mapping and monitoring marine and coastal species and habitats to complete the knowledge base on biodiversity;
- creating and updating databases of specially protected areas and biodiversity ;
- elaborating guidelines and other technical tools on the conservation and management of species, habitats and areas;
- facilitating and encouraging the exchange of scientific and technical information through symposia, conferences, forums, and workshops;
- organising capacity-building activities.
Funding
The principal source of recurrent funding of SPA/RAC activities and staffing is the Mediterranean Trust Fund (MTF). The Tunisian government provides support by hosting the Centre and assuming responsibility for part of the staff.
Additional funding is sought for actions that are clearly defined in space and time, either in response to international calls for proposals or through spontaneous proposals from sponsors, including voluntary contributions from countries, international institutions, donor agencies and the private sector.
Key moments in the SPA/RAC history: a timeline
1972
World
- 1st Earth Summit (Stockholm)
- Creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
1974
World
- Regional Seas Programme
1975
Mediterranean :
- Creation of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP)
1976
Mediterranean :
- Adoption of the Barcelona Convention
1982
Mediterranean :
- Adoption of the Specially Protected Areas Protocol (Geneva Protocol)
1985
Mediterranean :
- Creation of the Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC) in Tunis
1987
Mediterranean :
- Monk seal Action Plan
1988
Mediterranean :
- 1st Meeting of SPA/RAC focal points (Athens)
1989
Mediterranean :
- Marine turtles Action Plan
1991
Mediterranean :
- Cetaceans Action Plan
1992
Mediterranean :
- Host country agreement for SPA/RAC
World
- Rio summit – Adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Agenda 21
1995
Mediterranean :
- Amendment of the Barcelona Convention
- MAP phase II
- New SPA/BD Protocol
1996
Mediterranean :
- Adoption of the 3 annexes of SPA/BD Protocol
1999
Mediterranean :
- Entry into force of the SPA/BD Protocol
- Marine vegetation Action Plan
2000
Mediterranean :
- Adoption of the Principles of the Ecosystem Approach (CBD COP5)
- 1st Mediterranean symposium on marine vegetation (Ajaccio)
2001
Mediterranean :
- List of SPAMIs
- 1st Mediterranean conference on marine turtles (Rome)
2002
Mediterranean :
- MedMPA project
2003
Mediterranean :
- Adoption of the Strategic action programme for the conservation of biological diversity in the Mediterranean region (SAPBIO)
- Marine birds Action Plan
- Non-indigenous species Action Plan
- Cartilaginous fishes Action Plan
- 2nd Mediterranean symposium on marine vegetation (Athens)
2004
Mediterranean :
- SAPBIO launch
2005
Mediterranean :
- 1st Symposium on the conservation of marine and coastal birds (Vilanova i la Geltrú)
- 2nd Mediterranean conference on marine turtles (Kemer)
- International workshop on Mediterranean cartilaginous fish (Ataköy)
2006
Mediterranean :
- MedPosidonia project
- Mediterranean workshop on red coral (Tabarka)
2007
Mediterranean :
- 3rd Mediterranean symposium on marine vegetation (Marseille)
2008
Mediterranean :
- Coralligenous Action Plan
- MedOpenSeas project
- 3rd Mediterranean conference on marine turtles (Yasmine Hammamet)
2009
Mediterranean :
- Adoption of the Regional working programme for the coastal and marine protected areas in the Mediterranean Sea including the high sea
- 1st Mediterranean symposium on the Conservation of the Coralligenous and other calcareous bio-concretions (Tabarka)
2010
Mediterranean :
- MedMPAnet project
- 4th Mediterranean symposium on marine vegetation (Yasmine Hammamet)
2011
Mediterranean :
- 4th Mediterranean conference on marine turtles (Naples)
World
- Adoption of the Strategic plan for biodiversity & Aichi Targets (CBD COP10)
2012
Mediterranean :
- EcAp Med I project
- Mediterranean MPA Forum
2013
Mediterranean :
- Dark habitats Action Plan
- Monk seal strategy
- MedKeyHabitats project
2014
Mediterranean :
- 5th Mediterranean symposium on marine vegetation (Portorož)
- 2nd Mediterranean symposium on the conservation of the coralligenous and other calcareous bio-concretions (Portorož)
- 1st Mediterranean symposium on the dark habitats (Portorož)
2015
Mediterranean :
- EcAp Med II project
- 12th meeting of SPA/RAC focal points (Athens) – 30th anniversary of SPA/RAC
- 2nd Symposium on the conservation of marine and coastal birds (Hammamet)
2016
Mediterranean :
- Adoption of IMAP and the MAP’s 2016-2021 Mid-Term Strategy
- Adoption of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development
- Adoption of the Roadmap for a comprehensive coherent network of well- managed MPAs to achieve Aichi target 11 in the Mediterranean
- Deep Sea Lebanon project
- MedMPA network project
- Mediterranean MPA Forum
2017
Mediterranean :
- Bycatch project
- GEF Adriatic
- Kuriat project
- Marine turtles project
- Odyssea project
2018
Mediterranean :
- Launch of the SPAMI Twinning Programme
- Species project
2019
Mediterranean :
- IMAP/MPA project
- QUIET MED 2 project
- 6th Mediterranean Symposium on marine vegetation (Antalya)
- 1st Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Antalya)
- 3rd Mediterranean Symposium on the Conservation of the Coralligenous and other calcareous bio-concretions (Antalya)
- 2nd Mediterranean symposium on the dark habitats (Antalya)
2020
Mediterranean :
- EcAp MED III project
- MPA/NTZ project
2021
Mediterranean :
- Adoption of the Post-2020 Strategic Action Programme for the Conservation of Biodiversity and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Mediterranean Region
- Adoption of the Post-2020 Regional Strategy for Marine and Coastal Protected Areas and Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures in the Mediterranean
- Adoption of the SPAMI Day concept
- Mediterranean MPA Forum
2022
Mediterranean :
- ILIAD project
- Med Monk Seal project
- 7th Mediterranean Symposium on marine vegetation (Genoa)
- 2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Genoa)
- 4th Mediterranean Symposium on the Conservation of the Coralligenous and other calcareous bio-concretions (Genoa)
- 3rd Mediterranean symposium on the dark habitats (Genoa)
2023
Mediterranean :
- Adoption of the Restoration Programme of Pinna nobilis
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