Successful workshop in Dubrovnik entitled ‘Transboundary Governance in the SAIS-EBSA and Contiguous Regions’, 31.05.-01.06

UNEP/MAP-SPA/RAC (Spain), EUSAIR (Slovenia), FAO/GFCM (Italy), ISPRA (Italy), CNR-ISMAR (Italy), UNEP/MAP-PAP/RAC (Croatia), Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia, Blue World Institute (Croatia) and partners on the MBPC project have met for two-day workshop in Dubrovnik on 31.05. and 01.06. entitled ‘Transboundary governance in the South Adriatic Ionian Straight Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area (SAIS-EBSA) and contiguous regions: from the recognition of the area to the identification of an effective governance mechanism integrating ecosystem-based management (EBM), Marine Spatial Planning and area-based management principles’, hosted by the Interreg Med ‘Mediterranean Biodiversity Protection Community’ project.

Fruitful discussions took place among the national authorities and international institutions about challenges and opportunities in prioritising conservation in this globally important region. UNEP/MAP-SPA/RAC, UNEP/MAP-PAP/RAC and EUSAIR TSG3, as regional institutions, showed their willingness to support the process of setting a governance mechanism in the SAIS-EBSA area, transferable to other EBSAs in the Adriatic and Mediterranean Sea. All participant also supported the establishment of the SAIS-EBSA Conservation Community (SECC).