In recent years several states have established specially-protected marine areas under their domestic legislation, whilst internationally the trend towards providing an increased protection to certain marine spaces has been reflected in a number of treaties and declarations. This volume reviews recent developments in the field of specially-protected marine areas and preservation of the marine environment in general. It devotes special attention to the Mediterranean area, because the regional framework for the protection of the environment in the Mediterranean (the so-called Barcelona system) has recently been updated and strengthened, and also because the Mediterranean is a typical example of the category of semi-enclosed seas requiring international co-operation in various fields between the bordering states. The scope of the book encompasses fisheries, a field which is closely connected to the sustainable development of marine areas.