ABSTRACT
The Mediterranean Sea is the largest of the European regional seas, covering an approximate area of 2.5 million km2. It is situated between three continents: Europe to the north, Africa to the south, and Asia to the east and is bordered by more than 20 coastal states, with 11 countries in Europe, 5 in Africa, and 5 in Asia. The Mediterranean is a generally oligotrophic sea with a more productive western basin. The Mediterranean region may well be considered one of the cradles of human civilization; its borders encompass a hugely diverse cultural, legislative and socio-economic landscape that creates a rich, dynamic and complex human environment, making it more complex to consider a global strategy at basin or sub-basin level. The NAP implementation process is expected to greatly enhance economic, technological and social development at the local level and to contribute to sustainable development.
