Joint NGO priorities on the Multi-annual plan for the Western Mediterranean Sea (WMedMAP)

The document argues that the proposed WMedMAP is insufficient to reverse the overexploitation of the Western Mediterranean Sea, where over 90% of assessed fish stocks are overfished. The NGOs call for a transition to science-based governance, including the expansion of trawl-free zones to 100m depth, the introduction of Total Allowable Catches (TACs) to supplement effort management, and the adoption of a more participatory, local co-management approach to ensure long-term sustainability and the recovery of key species like hake, red mullet, and anglerfish.

• The Western Mediterranean is facing a severe biological crisis with over 90% of all assessed fish stocks overfished, and some species such as hake, red mullet, and anglerfish are overfished up to 10 times sustainable levels.
• The NGOs recommend increasing the year-round trawl-free zone to a depth of at least 100m to protect juvenile fish aggregations (specifically mullets, seabreams, and horse mackerel) and sensitive habitats like maërl and coralligenous beds.
• The document argues that effort management alone (e.g., 'days at sea') is ineffective and calls for the introduction of Total Allowable Catches (TACs) as a precautionary measure for specific stocks where scientific advice is available.
• The NGOs propose that fishing effort regime categories be disaggregated into four depth-based groups to better align with stock assemblages: coastal area (up to 100m), continental shelf (100-200m), upper slope (250-400m), and deep waters (500-1000m).
• The statement advocates for a shift toward participative management through the creation of local fisheries co-management bodies to improve compliance and integrate the small-scale fisheries, which make up 80% of the Mediterranean fleet.

APA

ClientEarth (2018). Joint NGO priorities on the Multi-annual plan for the Western Mediterranean Sea (WMedMAP). https://www.clientearth.org/media/mszn0egy/joint-ngo-priorities-on-the-multi-annual-plan-for-the-western-mediterranean-sea-wmedmap-coll-en.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Joint NGO priorities on the Multi-annual plan for the Western Mediterranean Sea (WMedMAP). 2018. https://www.clientearth.org/media/mszn0egy/joint-ngo-priorities-on-the-multi-annual-plan-for-the-western-mediterranean-sea-wmedmap-coll-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=ClientEarth |title=Joint NGO priorities on the Multi-annual plan for the Western Mediterranean Sea (WMedMAP) |date=June 2018 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/mszn0egy/joint-ngo-priorities-on-the-multi-annual-plan-for-the-western-mediterranean-sea-wmedmap-coll-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{clientearth2018joint, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Joint NGO priorities on the Multi-annual plan for the Western Mediterranean Sea (WMedMAP)}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2018}, month = jun, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/mszn0egy/joint-ngo-priorities-on-the-multi-annual-plan-for-the-western-mediterranean-sea-wmedmap-coll-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }