The Mediterranean Symposium on Ecology and Conservation of Marine and Coastal Bird Species is a key platform for sharing knowledge and fostering cooperation on bird conservation in the Mediterranean. Its first two editions, held in 2005 and 2015, played a pivotal role in launching significant national and regional initiatives to monitor and protect these species.
The third edition took place on 13–15 February 2024 in Djerba, Tunisia. It was co-organized by SPA/RAC and the Association "Les Amis des Oiseaux" (AAO/BirdLife in Tunisia), with Tour du Valat, ISPRA, and IUCN-Med, and supported by the French Voluntary Contribution (within the 2024–2025 UNEP/MAP Programme of Work) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the GEF Child Project 3.1.
The opening session brought together Her Excellency Mrs. Leïla Chikhaoui Mahdaoui, Minister of Environment; Mr. Said Ben Zayed, Governor of Medenine; Mr. Mahmoud Elyes Hamza, Director of SPA/RAC; Mr. Hédi Aissa, President of the Association "Les Amis des Oiseaux" (AAO/BirdLife in Tunisia); and Mr. Stavros Antoniadis, representative of the UNEP/MAP–Barcelona Convention.
Nearly 80 participants from 26 countries attended the symposium. Over three days, more than 60 scientific communications were presented, including 43 oral contributions, focusing on the 25 bird taxa listed in Annex II of the SPA/BD Protocol. Discussions addressed monitoring and assessment, offshore seabird conservation and MCPAs, demography and survival rates, the International Single Species Action Plan for the Audouin’s Gull, and the conservation of coastal birds.
Poster sessions, birdwatching excursions, and networking opportunities enriched the scientific exchange. The event also honored Joan Mayol, Xavier Monbailliu, and Mike Smart for their lifelong contribution to the study and conservation of seabirds and waterbirds in the Mediterranean.
A major outcome was the redaction of the Djerba Declaration, summarizing key recommendations for the conservation of marine and coastal birds in the Mediterranean, which was presented at the 17th SPA/BD Focal Points meeting in May 2025.
The proceedings, including the Djerba Declaration, are now available online via this link.
