A campaign is urging a half‑million people to back strong protections for 30 percent of the Mediterranean by 2030. Led by marine biologist Manu San Félix of the Formentera Vell Marí Association in the Balearic Islands, the effort seeks to align with United Nations guidance while aiming to restore local fisheries and curb global overfishing that harms fragile marine ecosystems.
The Mediterranean faces a critical moment. Scientific reports, and everyday observations from residents, show it warming faster than most places on Earth after the Arctic. The momentum of change is rapid, and urgent action is essential to slow or reverse damage to the sea.
Beyond the warming trend, the Mediterranean has become a focal point for debates about fisheries, pollution, and invasive species. Manu San Félix describes the sea as a record‑setter for fishing intensity, pollution, warming, and species introductions. He notes that only a small fraction of the basin, about 0.23 percent, currently enjoys true protection against harmful activities.
In December 2022, during a global biodiversity gathering in Montreal, Canada, 196 countries agreed to protect 30 percent of lands and oceans by 2030. Spain joined the agreement, yet the real challenge lies in sustaining progress and meeting the deadline, according to the biologist and science communicator.
“It is the sea that holds the record for the world’s most fished, most polluted, fastest warming and invasive species.”
Manu San Félix, a marine biologist, emphasizes the urgency of translating commitments into protected areas and concrete protections for the Mediterranean.
Today, Spain already maintains a broad network of marine protected areas, but protections are not always effective in practice. Across much of the Mediterranean, internal and external policies often fail to deliver real protection, San Félix explains.
As a result, the campaign reserve30.org advocates for safeguarding 30 percent of the Mediterranean surface and restricting fishing before 2030 to prevent ecosystem collapse and support sustainable local fisheries.
Benefits of protective measures for fisheries
Both scientific research and European policy discussions show clear gains from marine protected areas that limit fishing. San Félix highlights several noteworthy outcomes:
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Within highly protected marine reserves, fish populations rise dramatically, with about a 570 percent increase compared with unprotected zones.
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In the Turkish region of Gökova, establishing six reserve zones linked to a local fisherys economy saw a 400 percent rise in income and a tenfold increase in fish density per square meter.
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In Hawaii’s Papahānaumokuākea, the world’s largest no‑fishing marine protected area, tuna catches near the reserve grew by roughly 54 percent in five years.
Many cautions accompany the push for 30 percent protection, but the top priority remains protecting 30 percent of the Mediterranean and curbing destructive fishing to forestall ecosystem failure and to secure local seafood supplies.
Jacques‑Yves Cousteau warned of troubling changes in the Mediterranean as far back as 1979, declaring that marine life could face collapse if trends continued. His concerns resonate today as scientists and communities assess ongoing changes and seek decisive action.
Marked note: to show support, the petition is referenced as a resource for readers who want to participate. This summary reflects ongoing activism and the goal of protecting Mediterranean ecosystems.
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Public inquiries and environmental offices often collaborate on outreach to protect biodiversity and marine resources, reinforcing the message that proactive protection benefits habitats and people alike.