WWF Mediterranean reaches out to raise awareness on Marine Protected Areas in the Big Blue

WWF Mediterranean Program just launched a social media campaign to promote the benefits that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) create for the Mediterranean Sea. The campaign intends to gather public support for the creation of more MPAs in the Mediterranean through a petition that will be presented to Mediterranean Government leaders later this year.

Over the summer, WWF Mediterranean will be sharing fun and interesting content through Facebook and Twitter to create a connection between people and MPAs. Each Saturday, for a period of 2 months, an amusing illustration will attract attention and direct people to a web site explaining the benefits and challenges of MPAs in the Mediterranean and inviting to sign the petition.

The campaign showcases on Facebook a series of beautifully illustrated “MPAs are not” vignettes such as Mice Preventing Avalanches or Mosquitoes Piloting Airplanes that aim to peek the viewers’ interest to discover what MPAs really are through WWF website.

This initiative wants to reach out to people who live around the Mediterranean, who enjoy its coasts during their holidays, who eat its fish. We want them to support MPAs as they create the Mediterranean we want for our future.

More on Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean

Marine Protected Areas safeguard our Mediterranean marine environment so that it may continue to provide benefits to our society for generations to come. They protect fishermen's livelihoods, boost local economies and let tourists discover one of our planet's most stunning treasures.

Mediterranean nations agreed to protect 10 % of the marine area by 2020. But they have a long way to go. Today, less than 4 % of this semi-enclosed sea is protected and many Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas are not effective.

The Mediterranean needs more and better managed MPAs and WWF needs the public’s help to convince our leaders to act.

For more information:

Anne Rémy, Head of Communications, WWF Mediterranean,
Giuseppe di Carlo, Head of MPA programme, WWF Mediterranean