Page 48 - Livre_MOW2018_FR

46 / THE OCEAN : BIODIVERSITY WHICH WE MUST PROTECT

POWER OF NETWORKING

Aquariums work to help

fund Mediterranean MPAs

The creation of a network of European aquariums and zoos affected by ocean

preservation was another highlight of the Monaco Ocean Week 2018.

On Friday 13 April 2018, Monaco Ocean Week hosted an interna-
tional meeting of aquariums and zoos for the benefit of Mediter- #MYMEDSEA TO REACH OUT
ranean Marine Protected Areas. Representatives from aquariums in
Valencia, Seville, Banyuls, Genoa, Boulogne sur Mer and Basel Zoo TO THE PUBLIC
were in attendance alongside directors of establishments in Greece,
Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, etc. In total, over twenty countries On the initiative of the Oceanographic Institute, an international
and organisations discussed information and their involvement in network of aquariums and zoos working to support Mediterranean
defending and funding Mediterranean MPAs. MPAs was created, with the main goal to fundraise to support Me-
diterranean MPAs, and to raise public awareness about the topic.

Whilst Monaco Ocean Week 2018 was the first meeting of the foun-
ding members of this network - Basel Zoo and the Oceanographic
Museum of Monaco - several aquariums were also in attendance:
Pula in Croatia, Crete, Kotor in Montenegro, aquariums in Valencia
and Seville for Spain, Genoa in Italy, Nausicaa in Boulogne sur Mer
and the Banyuls biodiversarium in France.

They are all committed to reaching out to the public to raise awar-
eness about MPAs and their funding requirements. In addition to
launching a shared hashtag (#MyMedSea) which helps track their
actions, exhibitions, educational activities and general public aware-
ness campaigns have been widely encouraged.