Are we overlooking Natura 2000 sites? Lessons learned from a transnational project in the Adriatic Sea

Since the adoption of the Habitats and Birds Directives by EU governments,marineNatura 2000 (N2K) sites have been established in the European Mediterranean Sea,creating one of the largest international networks of protected areas. Nevertheless,to date, marine N2K sites are generally scarcely implemented, studied andmonitored, and thus their management effectiveness is weak, and theirenvironmental status is often unknown. The Interreg Italy-Croatia ECOSS projectaimed at establishing theECOlogical observing systemof theAdriatic Sea (ECOAdS),to integrate the existing research and monitoring activities in the area, and topromote data sharing at international level, for enhancing monitoring andconservation in Adriatic N2K network. In the framework of ECOSS, a conceptualmodel was developed and applied to selected N2K sites, to review the existingknowledge, assess site effectiveness, and suggest possible improvements in theirmonitoring andmanagement based on the contribution that ECOAdS can provideto their implementation. Information on social, ecological, and oceanographicelements related to the conservation and management of these case studies wasgathered by consulting the project partners involved in the management andmonitoring of the sites and through a literature review. The results of this studyrevealed a discouraging condition with no management plan in most of the sites,while regulatory measures are generally in place but without surveillance.Monitoring activities are performed occasionally, and information on presenceand status of protected species is often lacking or outdated. Although the N2Knetworkprovides auniqueopportunity toadvancemarineconservationandachievethe 30% conservation target by 2030, the biggest challenge ahead is the propermanagementandmonitoringofN2Ksites. The proposedconceptualmodelmay betaken as a framework to properly set up ecological observing systems in the N2Knetwork and help overcome current limitations, integrating scientific researchwithin the N2K conservation strategies.