This paper tackles legal and policy issues concerning Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean Sea. Since the 1970s, Mediterranean Countries have been at the forefront in international cooperation for the protection of marine ecosystems: notably, significant results have been achieved through the establishment of a network of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Interest (SPAMIs). After framing the general legal context, the paper examines the specificities of the above network, while at the same time pointing out its weakness when put to the test of facts. Accordingly, some proposals are made for improving the SPAMI system, which include a better allocation of jurisdiction among coastal States in the case of transboundary MPAs. It is argued that in a delicate phase of transition, characterized by the proclamation of EEZs and the ensuing maritime delimitation disputes, the creation of SPAMI may enhance the spirit of cooperation among Mediterranean States with opposite or adjacent coasts and possibly represent an alternative to the definition of a precise maritime boundary. Most notably, the creation of transboundary SPAMIs appears worth further exploration in the context of the negotiations aimed at defining the boundaries of the Italian EEZ.

Dagli anni '70 del secolo scorso, i Paesi del Mediterraneo sono stati in prima linea nella cooperazione internazionale per la protezione degli ecosistemi marini: in particolare, sono stati raggiunti risultati significativi attraverso l'istituzione di una rete di aree specialmente protette di interesse mediterraneo (SPAMI). Dopo aver inquadrato il contesto giuridico delle aree marine protette nel Mediterraneo, l'articolo esamina le specificità della suddetta rete, evidenziandone al contempo la debolezza alla prova dai fatti. In una prospettiva de iure condendo, l’articolo avanza alcune proposte per migliorare il sistema SPAMI, attraverso una migliore allocazione della giurisdizione fra gli Stati costieri nel caso delle aree marine transfrontaliere. Ad avviso dell’autore, in una fase di transizione molto delicata, caratterizzata dalla proclamazione di zone economiche esclusive (ZEE) e dalle conseguenti controversie in merito alla loro delimitazione, la creazione di SPAMI potrebbe rafforzare lo spirito di cooperazione fra gli Stati del Mediterraneo con coste opposte o adiacenti e rappresentare un'alternativa alla definizione di un confine marittimo preciso. In particolare, la creazione di aree marine protette di interesse mediterraneo sembra meritevole di ulteriore approfondimento nel contesto dei negoziati volti a definire i confini della ZEE italiana.

The Conservation of Biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea Through Marine Protection Areas: The Barcelona System Faced with the Expansion of Coastal State Jurisdiction

Simone Vezzani
2021

Abstract

This paper tackles legal and policy issues concerning Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean Sea. Since the 1970s, Mediterranean Countries have been at the forefront in international cooperation for the protection of marine ecosystems: notably, significant results have been achieved through the establishment of a network of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Interest (SPAMIs). After framing the general legal context, the paper examines the specificities of the above network, while at the same time pointing out its weakness when put to the test of facts. Accordingly, some proposals are made for improving the SPAMI system, which include a better allocation of jurisdiction among coastal States in the case of transboundary MPAs. It is argued that in a delicate phase of transition, characterized by the proclamation of EEZs and the ensuing maritime delimitation disputes, the creation of SPAMI may enhance the spirit of cooperation among Mediterranean States with opposite or adjacent coasts and possibly represent an alternative to the definition of a precise maritime boundary. Most notably, the creation of transboundary SPAMIs appears worth further exploration in the context of the negotiations aimed at defining the boundaries of the Italian EEZ.
2021
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11391/1541093
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