Joint Management Action of the European Community with the United Nations Environment Programme / Mediterranean Action Plan for identifying and creating Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance in the open seas, including the deep seas

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Background

In the Mediterranean, deep seabed encompasses some unique habitats such as hydrothermal vents, seamounts, submarine canyons and deep coral reefs characterized by high biodiversity and endemism. In addition, oceanographic features and large-scale water movements like upwelling, gyres or fronts create critical habitats for the development, reproduction and feeding of many pelagic species. They are also supporting a wide range of components of the trophic chain from planktonic species to top...