More than 2.5 million sq km in size, the Mediterranean Sea incorporates the coastal areas and territorial waters of at least 20 countries and has almost a quarter of a billion people living on its shores.
Its biodiversity and habitats are rich and often unique; of its 17,000 marine species, between 20 to 30 per cent are considered endemic. The Mediterranean provides ecosystem services to almost half a billion people, including food and other natural goods, the regulation of climate, and the support of diverse cultures and livelihoods.
But this is an ecosystem in profound transition. More than three quarters of fish stocks are now fished beyond ecological limits. Apex predators are in decline. A thousand non-indigenous marine species have been recorded. Climate change is warming its waters 20 per cent faster than other marine ecosystems.
Blue Marine is actively responding to these threats, aiming to restore the Mediterranean’s marine life and support its small-scale fisheries. The focus of our efforts is the creation and expansion of marine protected areas (MPAs), and the safeguarding of critical habitats.
Our work in the region includes extensive projects in Italy, Greece and Turkey, as well as initiatives the Balearic Islands, Cyprus, Israel, and Tunisia.
Browse the detailed stories of Blue Marine’s individual projects across the Mediterranean, and find out more about our work in this ecologically dazzling but troubled part of the world.
