Presentation short abstract

This study applies a critical coastal governance approach to an urban Mediterranean Marine Protected Area. Through mixed methodologies, we analyze how actors and diverse systems of knowledge engage with biodiversity issues and how Local Ecological Knowledge can support a more inclusive conservation.

Presentation long abstract

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are conventionally analysed through ecological and economic metrics, often overlooking the heterogeneous actors and knowledges that shape conservation in practice. In Mediterranean Sea contexts, where MPAs have largely emerged through top-down implementation of European and international directives, this framing can limit representation of marginalised actors and their contributions to governance under climate-driven social and ecological change, influencing the overall efficacy and perception of biodiversity conservation measures.

This study examines the urban Mediterranean MPA of “Capo Gallo - Isola delle Femmine” (Palermo, Sicily) through a Social-Ecological System Framework (SESF) to analyse how fishers, academia, tourism operators, management bodies, and the broader coastal community engage with conservation, bringing competing values and expertise. Using a mixed-method approach - focus groups, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, systematic literature review, and Social Network Analysis - we examine how biodiversity loss may shape patterns of participation in coastal management and knowledge inclusion, while also considering existing power imbalances.

Findings show how Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) can connect with the already-existing academic ecological knowledge and inform governance and future development of the MPA through a bottom-up approach. By highlighting these overlooked and emergent actors, the study promotes a critical coastal governance approach, recognizing conservation as a complex and transdisciplinary practice. Such an approach is essential to strengthen co-management and participatory processes and to broaden the recognition of legitimate conservation actors, supporting more inclusive and effective marine governance in Mediterranean contexts.