2nd International Workshop on Conservation Biology

MARINE BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN SLOVENIA - meeting the requirements of international conventions and European Union policy

Not scheduled

UP FAMNIT, Koper, Slovenia

Speaker

Ms Tina Centrih (Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation (Zavod RS za varstvo narave))

Description

There are several international conventions, directives and agreements that help protect and conserve marine biodiversity. We analysed the current state of marine biodiversity in Slovenian marine protected areas (MPAs) and the implementation status of international conventions and European policy, with the emphasis on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Barcelona Convention, the EU Habitats Directive together with the Birds Directive, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. On an overall objective they all obligate Slovenia as a state to maintain a good status of its coastal and marine biodiversity. Our research on available data shows that the implementation of the different policies is not always consistent with their legal requirements. Some protected species and habitat types still do not have designated protected areas in Slovenian waters. This is especially true for open water species and habitats, such as the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), reefs, sandbanks and Posidonia meadows. Furthermore, the management of existing MPAs is poor or even non-existent in some. A network of comprehensive, representative and effectively managed national marine protected areas in Slovenian waters is thus still wishful thinking. In order to achieve this goal, a number of activities would need to be implemented, both in terms of identification and establishment of new MPAs, as well as in terms of a more efficient management plan for existing ones. To conclude, we provide recommendations that could prove beneficial in order to reach one of the CBD Aichi Biodiversity Target objectives, that at least 10% of the sea and the sea shore, especially the areas of utmost importance in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem services will be protected by the year 2020.