Mediterranean Sea
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LME 26: Mediterranean Sea

Bordering countries:

Albania, Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Holy See (Vatican), Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Turkey

LME total area:

2,528,398 km²

LME overall risk:

This LME falls in the cluster of LMEs that exhibit medium to high numbers of collapsed and overexploited fish stocks, high levels of demersal non-destructive low bycatch fishing, as well as very high shipping pressure.
Based on a combined measure of the Human Development Index and the averaged indicators for fish & fisheries and pollution & ecosystem health modules, the overall risk factor is high.

Productivity

Chlorophyll-A:

The annual Chlorophyll a concentration (CHL) cycle has a maximum peak (0.249 mg.m^-3) in February and a minimum (0.0866 mg.m^-3) during August. The average CHL is 0.144 mg.m^-3. Maximum primary productivity (133 g.C.m^-2.y^-1) occurred during 1999 and minimum primary productivity (108 g.C.m^-2.y^-1) during 2012. There is a statistically insignificant increasing trend in Chlorophyll of 2.72 % from 2003 through 2013. The average primary productivity is 116 g.C.m^-2.y^-1, which places this LME in Group 1 of 5 categories (with 1 = lowest and 5= highest).

Primary productivity:

Sea Surface Temperature:

From 1957 to 2012, the Mediterranean Sea LME #26 has warmed by 0.66°C, thus belonging to Category 3 (moderate warming LME). The thermal history of this LME between 1957 and 2012 consists of two regimes. During the first (mostly cooling) epoch, after peaking at 20°C in the early 1960s, SST cooled down to 19.1°C in 1978. This year has marked a sharp transition from cooling to warming. During the second (warming) regime (still on), SST rose to 20.6°C in 2012. From the absolute minimum of 19.1°C in 1978 to the absolute maximum of 20.6°C in 2012, the SST warming rate was 1.5°C in 34 years. This LME consists of two parts, Western and Eastern Mediterranean, whose circulation patterns are rather independent from one another. The 1982-2003 warming magnitude increased eastward, from 0.5-1.0°C in the Gulf of Lions and Ligurian Sea up to 2-3°C in the Levantine Basin (EEA, 2007, p.236, Map 5.9).

Fish and Fisheries

The Mediterranean Sea LME is one of the most diverse and stable LMEs in terms of species groupings and their share in the total catch. Total reported landings in the LME, consisting largely of clupeoids (pilchard, anchovy and sardinella), increased from 1950 to the mid-1980s, levelling off at around 900,000 t in the 1990s, with landings over 1 million t recorded in 1994 and 1995.

Annual catch:

The landings peaked at about 1.2 million t in 2006.

Catch value:

The value of the reported landings peaked at about 4.6 billion US$ (in 2005 real US$) in 1990.

Marine Trophic Index and Fishing-in-Balance index:

The MTI increased until the mid-1980s and has declined since the mid-1990s, when the expansion of the fisheries, particularly offshore, ceased, as suggested by the increase of the FiB index from 1950 to the mid-1980s. Since the mid-1980s, the FiB has stabilized and began to decline in the late 1990s, an indication of decline in both the MTI and catch, and a confirmation that substantial ‘fishing down’ has occurred in the Mediterranean. The FiB index increased in the mid-2000 and then further declined since 2006. This indicates ‘fishing down’ of the food web in LME.

Stock status:

The Stock-Catch Status Plots suggest that, based on reported landings statistics, very few stocks have collapsed (less than 15%), and that over 86 % of the reported landings originate from overexploited and fully exploited stocks.

Catch from bottom impacting gear:

The percentage of catch from the bottom gear type to the total catch fluctuated between 12 and 25% from 1950 to 2010. This percentage reached its peak at 25% in 1957. In the recent decade, this percentage fluctuated around 18%.

Fishing effort:

The total effective effort continuously increased from around 200 million kW in the 1950s to its peak at 960 million kW in the mid-2000s.

Primary Production Required:

The primary production required (PPR) to sustain the reported landings in this LME reached 20% of the observed primary production in 1994, but has since declined to 15%.

Catch potential projections (under global warming):

Pollution and Ecosystem Health

Pollution

Nutrient ratio, Nitrogen load and Merged Indicator:

Human activities in watersheds are affecting nutrients transported by rivers into LMEs. Large amounts of nutrients (in particular nitrogen load) entering coastal waters of LMEs can result in high biomass algal blooms, leading to hypoxic or anoxic conditions, increased turbidity and changes in community composition, among other effects. In addition, changes in the ratio of nutrients entering LMEs can result in dominance by algal species that have deleterious effects (toxic, clog gills of shellfish, etc.) on ecosystems and humans. An overall nutrient indicator (Merged Nutrient Indicator) based on 2 sub-indicators: Nitrogen Load and Nutrient Ratio (ratio of dissolved Silica to Nitrogen or Phosphorus - the Index of Coastal Eutrophication Potential or ICEP) was calculated.

Nitrogen load:

The Nitrogen Load risk level for contemporary (2000) conditions was moderate (level 3 of the five risk categories, where 1 = lowest risk; 5 = highest risk). Based on a “current trends” scenario (Global Orchestration), this remained the same in 2030 and 2050.

Nutrient ratio:

The Nutrient Ratio (ICEP) risk level for contemporary (2000) conditions was moderate (3). According to the Global Orchestration scenario, this remained the same in 2030 and 2050.

Merged nutrient indicator:

The risk level for the Merged Nutrient Indicator for contemporary (2000) conditions was moderate (3). According to the Global Orchestration scenario, this remained the same in 2030 and 2050.

POPs:

Data are available from 15 samples at 15 locations on the European side and Israel. They show moderate average concentrations (ng.g^-1 of pellets) of 112 (range 5-264 ng.g^-1 ) for PCBs and 125 (range 1- 1,061 ng.g^-1) for DDTs, corresponding to risk category 3 and category 4, respectively, of the five risk categories (1 = lowest risk; 5 = highest risk). On the other hand, HCHs show a minimal average concentration of 1.1 (range 0-2.2 ng.g^-1), corresponding to risk category 1. PCBs seem to be widely distributed in this LME. High concentrations of PCBs (225 – 264 ng.g^-1) were observed at industrial centers in Greece, and are due to legacy pollution. Extremely high concentrations of DDTs (1,061 ng.g^-1 and 262 ng.g^-1) were observed in Durres (Albania) and Athens (Greece), respectively. The sources of DDTs should be investigated. Pellets from the North African coast are also necessary to improve the understanding of the pollution status of this LME.

Plastic debris:

Modelled estimates of floating plastic abundance (items km^-2), for both micro-plastic (<4.75 mm) and macro-plastic (>4.75 mm), indicate that this LME is in the group with the highest plastic concentration. Estimates are based on three proxy sources of litter: shipping density, coastal population density and the level of urbanisation within major watersheds, with enhanced run-off. The high values are due to relative importance of these sources in this LME. The abundance of floating plastic in this category is estimated to be on average over 400 times higher that those LMEs with lowest values. There is good evidence from sea-based direct observations and towed nets to support this conclusion.

Ecosystem Health

Mangrove and coral cover:

Not applicable

Reefs at risk:

Not applicable

Marine Protected Area change:

The Mediterranean Sea LME experienced an increase in MPA coverage from 1,357 km² prior to 1983 to 106,325 km² by 2014. This represents an increase of 7,733%, within the medium category of MPA change.

Cumulative Human Impact:

The Mediterranean Sea LME experiences an above average overall cumulative human impact (score 4.52; maximum LME score 5.22), which is also well above the LME with the least cumulative impact. It falls in risk category 5 of the five risk categories (1 = lowest risk; 5 = highest risk). This LME is most vulnerable to climate change. Of the 19 individual stressors, three connected to climate change have the highest average impact on the LME: ocean acidification (1.06; maximum in other LMEs was 1.20), UV radiation (0.54; maximum in other LMEs was 0.76), and sea surface temperature (1.65; maximum in other LMEs was 2.16). Other key stressors include commercial shipping, sea level rise, ocean based pollution, and all three types of demersal commercial fishing (demersal destructive, non-destructive low-bycatch, and non-destructive high-bycatch).

Ocean Health Index:

The Mediterranean Sea LME scores below average on the Ocean Health Index compared to other LMEs (score 69 out of 100; range for other LMEs was 57 to 82). This score indicates that the LME is well below its optimal level of ocean health, although there are some aspects that are doing well. Its score in 2013 decreased 1 point compared to the previous year, due in large part to changes in the scores for clean waters. This LME scores lowest on mariculture, natural products, coastal protection, and iconic species goals and highest on artisanal fishing opportunities, coastal economies, and habitat biodiversity goals. It falls in risk category 3 of the five risk categories, which is an average level of risk (1 = lowest risk; 5 = highest risk).

Socio-economics

Indicators of demographic trends, economic dependence on ecosystem services, human wellbeing and vulnerability to present-day extreme climate events and projected sea level rise, are assessed for this LME. To compare and rank LMEs, they were classified into five categories of risk (from 1 to 5, corresponding to lowest, low, medium, high and highest risk, respectively) based on the values of the individual indicators. In the case of economic revenues, the LMEs were grouped to 5 classes of revenues from lowest, low, medium, high and highest, as revenues did not translate to risk.

Population:

The coastal area stretches over 1 427 730 km². A current population of 236 678 thousand in 2010 is projected to increase to 353 578 thousand in 2100, with a density of 166 persons per km² in 2010 increasing to 248 per km² by 2100. About 35% of coastal population lives in rural areas, and is projected to increase in share to 36% in 2100.

Coastal poor:

The indigent population makes up 15% of the LME’s coastal dwellers. This LME places in the medium-risk category based on percentage and in the very high-risk category using absolute number of coastal poor (present day estimate).

Revenues and Spatial Wealth Distribution:

Fishing and tourism depend on ecosystem services provided by LMEs. This LME ranks in the very high-revenue category in fishing revenues based on yearly average total ex-vessel price of US 2013 $3 431 million for the period 2001-2010. Fish protein accounts for 12% of the total animal protein consumption of the coastal population. Its yearly average tourism revenue for 2004-2013 of US 2013 $478 729 million places it in the very high-revenue category. On average, LME-based tourism income contributes 13% to the national GDPs of the LME coastal states. Spatial distribution of economic activity (e.g. spatial wealth distribution) measured by night-light and population distribution as coarse proxies can range from 0.0000 (totally equal distribution and lowest risk) to 1.0000 (concentrated in 1 place and most inequitable and highest risk). The Night Light Development Index (NLDI) thus indicates the level of spatial economic development, and that for this LME falls in the category with medium risk.

Human Development Index:

Using the Human Development Index (HDI) that integrates measures of health, education and income, the present-day LME HDI belongs to the high HDI and low risk category. Based on an HDI of 0.780, this LME has an HDI Gap of 0.220, the difference between present and highest possible HDI (1.000). The HDI Gap measures an overall vulnerability to external events such as disease or extreme climate related events, due to less than perfect health, education, and income levels, and is independent of the harshness of and exposure to specific external shocks.
HDI values are projected to the year 2100 in the contexts of shared socioeconomic development pathways (SSPs). This LME is projected to assume a place in the very low risk category (very high HDI) in 2100 under a sustainable development pathway. Under a fragmented world scenario, the LME is estimated to place in a very high-risk category (very low HDI) because of reduced income levels and increased population values from those estimated in a sustainable development scenario.

Climate-Related Threat Indices:

The Climate-Related Threat Indices utilize the HDI Gaps for present-day and projected 2100 scenarios. The contemporary climate index accounts for deaths and property losses due to storms, flooding and extreme temperatures incurred by coastal states during a 20-year period from 1994 to 2013 as hazard measures, the 2010 coastal population as proxy for exposure, and the present day HDI Gap as vulnerability measure.
The Contemporary Threat Index incorporates a Dependence Factor based on the fish protein contribution to dietary animal protein, and on the mean contribution of LME tourism to the national GDPs of LME coastal states. The HDI Gap and the degree of dependence on LME ecosystem services define the vulnerability of a coastal population. It also includes the average of risk related to extreme climate events, and the risk based on the degrading system states of an LME (e.g. overexploited fisheries, pollution levels, decrease in coastal ecosystem areas).
The 2100 sea level rise threat indices, each computed for the sustainable world and fragmented world development pathways, use the maximum projected sea level rise at the highest level of warming of 8.5 W/m² in 2100 as hazard measure, development pathway-specific 2100 populations in the 10 m × 10 km coast as exposure metrics, and development pathway-specific 2100 HDI Gaps as vulnerability estimates.
Present day climate threat index of this LME is within the very high-risk (very high threat) category. The combined contemporaneous risk due to extreme climate events, degrading LME states and the level of vulnerability of the coastal population, is high. In a sustainable development scenario, the risk index from sea level rise in 2100 is very low, and increases to very high risk under a fragmented world development pathway.

Governance

Governance architecture:

Given the semi-enclosed nature of this LME, the fit of arrangements to the LME is very close, with two extending also to the Black Sea, and one (ICCAT) extending an Atlantic ocean-wide. The fact that decisions taken in ICCAT are not binding, seriously weakens this arrangement. However, the uptake of recommendations by the GFCM strengthens them in the Mediterranean. The Barcelona Convention and its protocols provide a strong framework for addressing land and marine-based sources of pollution as well as biodiversity issues. A strength of the Specially Protected Areas and Biodiversity Protocol is that it applies to areas beyond national jurisdiction. The need for an integrating mechanism is recognized by the countries in the establishment of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development. However, it appears to be a consultative body that is largely advisory in nature rather than having any formal coordination mandate.
The overall scores for ranking of risk were: