Project

Mediterranean

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Italian watersare among the Mediterranean’s most biodiverse. Many of the 14,000 marine species found here are unique to Italy. Our work has linked together seven disparate marine protected areas (MPAs) to offer all of them a haven.

Marine protection

The challenge

Blue Marine has been working closely with local stakeholders to effectively protect Italy’s marine environments, conserve biodiversity and restore vulnerable habitats.

 

Our strategy

We are working with Greenpeace to turn Italian ‘paper parks’ – areas where protection is designated but not properly enforced – into effective MPAs to hit United Nations sustainable development targets for 2030. We also work to protect the Mediterranean’s most vulnerable marine ecosystems from destructive fisheries with ClientEarth, Environmental Justice Foundation and Seas At Risk.

Our impact

  • Installed underwater anti-trawling devices at Torre Guaceto MPA in Puglia to protect seagrass and coralligenous habitats 
  • Deployed buoy system in Capo Caccia, Sardinia, to halt anchoring on coralligenous habitat and encourage sustainable diving 
  • Roadmap developed with local fishers helped increase marine protection in Asinara National Park by 500 per cent 
  • Removed more than 1,000 kg of ghost nets and waste from the Capo Carbonara MPA 
  • Catalysed the extension of the Plemmirio MPA after our studies highlighted the importance of protecting the largest loggerhead turtle nesting site in Italy
  • Established new MPA regulations and codes of conducts with divers and fishers in the Pelagie Islands and Egadi Islands off Sicily to protect the sandbar sharks and eagle rays aggregations. The areas are now designated as important shark and ray areas (ISRAs).
  • Mapped and identified new marine caves hosting monk seals in Tuscany with one cave protected from boat access

Photos by: Rocco Canella, Bruno D’Amicis and Mathia Coco

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