Introduction:

Effectively managed fisheries are more likely to be sustainable and to combine a healthy biodiverse marine ecosystem with an economically viable and competitive fisheries industry. Such fisheries management goals cannot be achieved if, for instance, the managed fish species do not have access to sufficient suitable habitat throughout their life cycle. High-quality habitat is, indeed, a fundamental requirement for reproduction, growth, migration and persistence of fish populations. The identification and spatiotemporal mapping of Essential Fish Habitats (EFHs) represent two fundamental scientific tasks of the spatial component of fisheries management, a component that has often been neglected in previously enforced fisheries policies. The 2002 reform of the European Commission’s (EC) Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is based on an ecosystem approach to fisheries management and requires, inter alias, the introduction of essential habitat identification and protection into developing new fishery policies. This would contribute to preserving resources in the long-term, as well as the viability of the fisheries sector, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea where fisheries account for almost half the total European Union (EU) fleet.

Research Objectives: (RO)