Offers must be sent by e-mail no later than Tuesday 31 August 2020

In December 2019, the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention adopted the Updated Reference List of Marine Habitat Types for the Selection of Sites to be included in National Inventories of Natural Sites of Conservation Interest in the Mediterranean (Decision IG 24/7). This list includes a total of 117 habitats (up to level 5) and in particular 30 in the Littoral, 26 in the Infralittoral, 24 in the Circalittoral, 13 in the Offshore Circalittoral, 14 in the Upper Bathyal, 8 in the Lower Bathyal and 2 in the Abyssal. A few reference facies and associations have also been proposed in each of the selected key habitats for inclusion in the updated classification.

Following the adoption of the new list, SPA/RAC is launching a call for consultancy to elaborate the interpretation manual of the updated reference List of Marine Habitat Types for the Selection of Sites to be Included in the National Inventories of Natural Sites of Conservation Interest in the Mediterranean as foreseen in PoW 2020-2021 (Activity 3.2.1.2.c). The objective is to provide countries with a tool to help identify and assess these marine habitats. This interpretation manual should be designed as a support and field tool to identify habitats and reduce differences in the interpretation between users of the typology.

Offers must be received electronically at the following e-mail addresses: car-asp@spa-rac.org; cc: atef.ouerghi@spa-rac.org, no later than Tuesday 31 August 2020, at 23:59 UTC+1 (Tunis Time).

The terms of reference, conditions of participation, evaluation procedure and all the other useful information concerning this call for consultancy are detailed at the following link (available in English only).

Photo copyright: SPA/RAC, Golder associates