The Mediterranean: A biodiversity hotspot and a global wealth to protect

Fishing practices pose a particular threat to fisheries : 78% of stocks are subject to overfishing,

while 18% of total catches are discarded. As for aquaculture, which is developing significantly,

impacts are not negligible with the use of wild species for farmed food fish, the transfer of

native species and the releases of nitrogen and phosphorus. The presence of more than 1,000 non-indigenous species also poses threats to biodiversity

There is an urgent need to radically change production and consumption patterns in the

Mediterranean region in order to make resolute progress towards sustainable and inclusive

development. This transformation makes it possible to focus on concerns related to climate

change, the protection of biodiversity, the circular economy and the transition to a blue /

green economy. This is in line with the United Nations 2030 Development Agenda and its

Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the recent Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable

Development (MSSD).