A consortium of leading research and conservation organisations working together for plastic-free Mediterranean seas.
Project Partners
University of Rostock
The University of Rostock as the lead partner manages the Plastic Smart Ports project and coordinates the results. The Department of Waste and Resource Management brings a multitude of experiences into Smart Ports, including waste management and alternative processing pathways, recycling options for a large variety of materials from compostables to plastics, as well as optimised waste sorting procedures.
In „Tourism Marine Litter (TouMaLi)“, UR addressed marine-litter prevention in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, targeting tourism-driven coastal pollution. Activities included baseline litter audits, stakeholder engagement, pilot interventions (refillable systems, reusable tableware, improved segregation) and capacity-building for authorities and operators. TouMaLi generated evidence and partnerships to inform scalable, policy-relevant measures that reduce plastic leakage and improve coastal environmental quality and livelihoods.
WWF Mediterranean
The WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative brings together WWF offices and partners from across the region to restore the health of the Mediterranean Sea by improving marine resource management and protecting biodiversity, ensuring a sustainable future for the region’s wildlife and people. One focus area is the work with small-scale fisheries (SSF) to transform artisanal fishing with eco-friendly practices and technologies into more sustainable businesses.
As one of the driving forces for WWF’s Plastic-Smart Cities initiative, WWF MMI develops and advocates plastic waste reduction solutions. In Plastic-Smart Ports, WWF MMI is responsible for the regional coordination and international policy advocacy and communication to support and replicate the Plastic Smart Ports scheme in the wider Mediterranean region.
WWF North Africa
Based in Tunisia, WWF North Africa is one of the two implementing partners. WWF NA strives to address a variety of marine conservation issues, with plastic waste identified as a key threat to sensitive ecosystems.
The pilot ports of Tabarka and Gabès are part of the WWF’s Small-Scale Fisheries initiative While Gabès is an artisanal fishing community, Tabarka as a key tourist destination at Tunisia’s North coast hosts tourism and gastronomy businesses as well as an active fisheries community. Both communities are engaged in marine conservation programmes and have a strong motivation to preserve their precious coastal environment and sensitive marine habitats.
WWF Türkiye
WWF’s Türkiye office is the implementing partner for the pilot ports Foça and Mordoğan in the İzmir area. This WWF office is also extensively involved in reducing plastic litter and improving waste management practices, in a country like Türkiye that is receiving significant amounts of plastic waste by some EU countries, including Germany. WWF Türkiye is also a driving actor for WWF’s advocacy towards a strong Global Plastic Treaty.
The pilot ports Foça and Mordoğan are both centres for artisanal fisheries as well as touristattractions where tour guides, hotels and gastronomy businesses operate. Both ports are engaged in transforming small-scale fisheries and supporting a sustainable and ecologically oriented use of their beautiful marine and coastal environments.
Enaleia
Originating in Greece and with strong connections to artisanal fishing families, Enaleia is a non-profit enterprise enabling fishing gear recycling. After initiating a fishing gear collection system in Greece, Enaleia employed their experiences to support recycling of fisheries waste in several countries including Italy and Kenya. In Plastic Smart Ports, Enaleia will consult the sorting, cleaning and separation of fishing gear waste for recycling. Their team will assist the implementing partners in Türkiye and Tunisia in the training of fishers and the selection of recycling options.