Mediterranean submarine canyons : ecology and governance

Although there is a common agreement on the importance of conservation of Mediterranean submarine canyons amongst international organizations, their governance is complex: the canyons' extension covers waters and seabeds under various types of jurisdictions (territorial waters, Fisheries Protection Zone, Ecological Protection Zone, including delimitation issues). Conservation of deep-sea features, such as canyons, requires improving our understanding of the biological and ecological role of these ecosystems, threats and conservation issues, limits and chances of national and international jurisdictions. This report has been written with the intention of meeting this need by reviewing interdisciplinary contributions of experts from various Mediterranean countries.