Risks from maritime traffic to biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea : Identification of issues and possible responses

This report is based on discussions among maritime experts and draws on the conclusions of a workshop that was held in Istanbul in 2007. It focuses on identifying threats to biodiversity resulting from international shipping activities and the transportation of hazardous cargoes in the Mediterranean Sea; on proposing appropriate responses to eliminate or mitigate these threats; and on examining these threats in the context of the existing Mediterranean governance framework and international agreements on marine environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.