Dear MARMAM Listers, I am in the process of gathering biological and oceanographic data to support the creation of marine protected areas in the Mediterranean Sea. This data will be presented to the experts meeting of the CBC which will be held in Ottawa in October 2009. The aim is to demonstrate fulfillment of the CBD criterias (including uniqueness or Rarity, Importance for threatened, endangered or declining species and/or habitats Special importance for life history stages of species etc.,)for the creation of high seas marine reserves in these areas. Thus, if you have access to any unpublished data, or data available only to a limited audience, that could help very much to justify the closure of these areas to fishing as well as other recognized threats. The areas in question are: - The Balearic Islands - The Sicilian Channel between Sicily and Tunisia And I am interested in biological and oceanographic data relating directly to these areas , including quantitative and qualitative, and expect that information on migratory species (e.g.cetaceans) will be of particular interest according to CBD criterias. Information relating directly to high seas areas is limited so anything and everything is likely to be of value when presenting the case to the CBD. If you have any information that could be useful it would be appreciated it .Please get in touch at p.lastra@abdn.ac.uk<mailto:p.lastra@abdn.ac.uk> Thanks in advance , Patricia Lastra The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013683.