In cooperation with the Municipality of Batroun, the Lebanese Environment Forum (LEF), and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL)
As part of national efforts to expand Lebanon’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) network, led by the Lebanese Environment Forum (LEF) in scientific partnership with the University of Balamand, with support from the European Union, and in cooperation with ministries, public administrations, municipalities, and civil society, LEF announces the successful declaration of the Batroun Coast Hima as a marine protected area.
This designation was issued under Decision No. 134/2025 of the Municipality of Batroun, making Batroun Coast Hima No. 41 within Lebanon’s growing network of marine protected areas, in collaboration with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL).
This achievement forms part of broader efforts to promote the Hima approach and strengthen the role of local authorities in the establishment and management of protected areas. The initiative aims to conserve coastal and marine ecosystems, promote responsible fishing practices, support the livelihoods of artisanal fishers, safeguard environmental heritage and natural resources, and enhance local economic development through sustainable eco-tourism.
The Batroun Hima was officially declared under Municipal Decision No. 134/2025, issued on 1 October 2025, pursuant to the Municipal Law, the Public Accounting Law, relevant rulings of the State Council, and in line with the requirements of public interest and environmental protection.
The decision designates the Batroun city shoreline and its surrounding natural environment as a protected Hima area and adopts an integrated framework for the sustainable management of the coastal and marine zone. This framework ensures the conservation of environmental resources and regulates their use in a balanced and equitable manner.
Key Objectives of the Batroun Coast Hima
The decision outlines a set of core objectives, including:
Regulating sustainable uses within the marine protected area.
Implementing an integrated management system to conserve marine ecosystem characteristics.
Protecting natural, archaeological, cultural, and social heritage, and strengthening integration within the national MPAs network.
Supporting sustainable development, protecting marine resources, and promoting responsible fishing.
Improving the living and economic conditions of local fishers.
Encouraging marine eco-tourism and traditional marine and river-based products.
Promoting environmental education and fostering a sense of community responsibility toward the sea.
Restoring marine habitats and fish spawning and nursery grounds.
Ensuring the enforcement of applicable laws and coordination with relevant official authorities.
The decision also provides for the establishment of an Administrative Advisory Committee, composed of representatives from the Municipality of Batroun, the Lebanese Environment Forum (LEF), and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL). The committee will oversee planning and management and mobilize the necessary funding for the administrative, environmental, and eco-tourism development of the Hima.
