Lessons learned by addressing challenges to deep-sea conservation planning in the Southeastern Mediterranean Sea: linking science to practice

IF 4.8 2区环境科学与生态学 Q1 OCEANOGRAPHY

Ocean & Coastal Management Pub Date : 2025-05-14 DOI:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107700

Ateret Shabtay , Alon Rothschild , Yizhaq Makovsky , Adi Neuman , Or Bialik , Liron Goren , Tal Idan , Alex Slavenko , Shira Salingré , Yehezkel Buba , Tamar Guy-Haim , Barak Herut , Nir Stern , Isaac Gertman , Merav Gilboa , Gideon Gal , Eyal Ofir , Maxim Rubin Blum , Igal Berenshtein , Dani Amir , Sylvaine Giakoumi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Conservation of the offshore and deep sea is an opportunity that exists today but is rapidly being diminished due to offshore development. Establishing networks of marine protected areas is crucial for conserving biodiversity and enhancing ecosystem resilience to climate change. In response to these needs, we conducted a two-year conservation planning process within Israel's exclusive economic zone in the Southeastern Mediterranean Sea, addressing challenges such as significant data gaps, poor governance, and limited management capabilities. This initiative was led by a local nongovernmental organization (NGO) in collaboration with research institutes. We employed a multidisciplinary approach that integrated existing data through advanced statistical tools, spatial and food-web modeling, and spatial prioritization tools. The plan proposes the establishment of ten protected areas covering 30 % of the exclusive economic zone. The plan prioritizes protection of vulnerable benthic habitats, diverse pelagic regions, and potential climatic refugia while minimizing socioeconomic conflicts. Based on our experience, we provide recommendations on how to incorporate key factors for advancing marine conservation, particularly of ecosystems that are generally out of sight and out of mind of policy makers and the general public. These factors include collaboration across sectors (non-governmental organizations, academia, research institutes, international experts, and governmental ministries), reliance on the best available scientific data, extensive stakeholder engagement, and a planning approach that explicitly allows for adjustments and revisions based on new data and evolving conditions. Our results demonstrate an innovative NGO-driven approach to conservation planning that can guide the establishment of deep-sea protected areas in data-limited and governance-challenged marine regions.

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应对地中海东南部深海保护规划挑战的经验教训：将科学与实践联系起来

近海和深海的保护是今天存在的一个机会，但由于近海开发正在迅速减少。建立海洋保护区网络对于保护生物多样性和增强生态系统对气候变化的适应能力至关重要。为了满足这些需求，我们在以色列位于地中海东南部的专属经济区开展了为期两年的保护规划过程，以解决诸如重大数据缺口、治理不善和管理能力有限等挑战。这一倡议是由当地一个非政府组织与研究机构合作发起的。我们采用多学科方法，通过先进的统计工具、空间和食物网建模以及空间优先排序工具整合现有数据。该计划建议建立10个保护区，覆盖30%的专属经济区。该计划优先保护脆弱的底栖生物栖息地、多样化的远洋区域和潜在的气候避难所，同时尽量减少社会经济冲突。根据我们的经验，我们就如何纳入促进海洋保护的关键因素，特别是政策制定者和公众通常看不到和不关心的生态系统，提供建议。这些因素包括跨部门（非政府组织、学术界、研究机构、国际专家和政府部门）的合作、对现有最佳科学数据的依赖、利益攸关方的广泛参与，以及明确允许根据新数据和不断变化的条件进行调整和修订的规划方法。我们的研究结果展示了一种创新的非政府组织驱动的保护规划方法，可以指导在数据有限和治理困难的海洋地区建立深海保护区。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Ocean & Coastal Management 环境科学-海洋学

CiteScore

8.50

自引率

15.20%

发文量

321

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Ocean & Coastal Management is the leading international journal dedicated to the study of all aspects of ocean and coastal management from the global to local levels. We publish rigorously peer-reviewed manuscripts from all disciplines, and inter-/trans-disciplinary and co-designed research, but all submissions must make clear the relevance to management and/or governance issues relevant to the sustainable development and conservation of oceans and coasts. Comparative studies (from sub-national to trans-national cases, and other management / policy arenas) are encouraged, as are studies that critically assess current management practices and governance approaches. Submissions involving robust analysis, development of theory, and improvement of management practice are especially welcome.