... with for instance the same plant diversity as the whole of tropical Africa (30,000 species), albeit in a surface area one-fourth the size of sub-Saharan Africa. A high percentage of species are endemic: e.g. 64% of amphibians and 63% of freshwater fishes are unknown in other parts of the world.
Moreover, situated at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, Mediterranean lakes and marshes not only provide breeding and wintering sites for millions of birds, they also play a role as a stopping place for an even larger number of birds during their annual migrations. Unfortunately, wetland loss and degradation as well as water pollution seriously threaten this unique biodiversity. Freshwater fish represent one of the groups most at risk with nearly two species out of three threatened with extinction.
Many visitors to wetlands come to enjoy the beauty of natural habitats and the wildlife. A “green” tourism has now become popular amongst photographers and naturalists. The impressive numbers of wildfowl wintering in the Mediterranean are also intensively exploited by millions of hunters.
In some regions like the Camargue, the income provided by hunting has prevented many marshes to be converted in agricultural fields. Although fishing activities in the Mediterranean have declined in the recent years through overfishing and reduced water quality, fish and shellfish provide local communities with an important source of protein, especially along the north African coastline.
Eels, mullets, sea bream and sea bass are amongst the most sought-after fish species whereas aquaculture primarily involves mussel, oyster and clam culture.
