It's called SATURN - Antitrawling Structures for the Protection and Natural Restoration - and its objective is to defend the sea from illegal bottom trawling, especially in marine protected areas at less than three miles from the coast.
The Sinis Peninsula – Mal di Ventre Island Marine Protected Area will be the first area in Sardinia to adopt a seabed defense system, designed in collaboration with the same fishermen who identified the most vulnerable areas. About sixty bollards, produced by Tecnoreef, will be positioned in the coming weeks off the coast of Sinis, barriers strategically arranged in a chessboard on a sandy bottom at a depth of about 35 metres. A positioning that prevents the advance of illegal trawling "in the most sensitive habitats, where coralligenous or Posidonia oceanica is present and where the damage can be irreversible and catastrophic for the entire marine ecosystem, to the detriment of the entire fishing sector itself, above all the artisanal and traditional one”, explained Francesca Frau, marine biologist of the MEDSEA Foundation in a recent meeting in Cabras with the fishermen and partners of the initiative. “The hours of illegal trawling in Italy – i.e. in areas where it is expressly prohibited, such as SIC areas, Marine Protected Areas and areas less than three miles from the coast – also according to recent data released by Oceana*, exceeds any other country with 5736 documented hours", highlights Frau.
The SATURN project, coordinated by the MEDSEA Foundation in partnership with the Pescando Flag of Central Western Sardinia and the Sinis Peninsula Marine Protected Area – Mal di Ventre Island, as well as being the first example of this type on the island which aims to inhibit through underwater bollards, in support of regular checks, is also the first example of self-defense started by the fishing sector itself. The project, financed by ARGEA with EMFF 2014-2020 funds and launched in the pre-pandemic period within the Maristanis project for the integrated management of the marine-coastal wetland areas of the Oristano area, saw the active participation of the fishermen themselves and the authorities, which highlighted the vulnerability to illegal trawling of some areas off the coast of Sinis, despite the prohibition and controls.
Subsequently, the same fishermen helped to identify the most at-risk local areas, which were then used to define the positioning of the anti-trawling structures. The authorization process was then concluded a few days ago with a public order from the Port Authority and the installation will take place in the coming weeks.
“Clearly the installation of these barriers does not solve the problem, but it certainly addresses it - Sandro Murana, president of the Flag Pescando Association of Central Western Sardinia, says - with this project we want to give a strong signal, that there is a cohesive community here in Sardinia, which wants to culturally contrast the illegal and unpunished illegal trawling in the Mediterranean. We think that this project should be disseminated among fishermen, fishing boats, the authorities, among citizens, and to be brought to schools and among young people".
"The Mediterranean has now reached the tipping point - explains Massimo Marras, director of the Marine Protected Area of the Sinis Peninsula - due to an excessive fishing effort, including industrial and trawling: the sea is increasingly poor and this leads to violate the rules and to enter prohibited environments such as marine protected areas. SATURN helps protect us from these pressures.”
“Despite the long times for approval and acquisition of opinions, a critical factor works of public utility Italy, I consider the project still valid and even experimental, given that I understand that it is the first example of this type of intervention in Sardinia - comments Andrea Abis, mayor of Cabras - certainly the positioning of these barriers represents a further step in tackling a problem known as that of illegal trawling in marine protected areas: we will monitor and evaluate the results over time which must be aimed at conservation of fish stocks in favor of small-scale fishing in particular".
In parallel with the installation of the bollards, a communication and awareness-raising project will tell all the various phases of SATURN up to the monitoring activities during 2023, by the IAS-CNR Oristano. “If we record a revitalization of marine environments, the theme will be the subject of discussion for future projects”, concludes Mauro Tuzzolino, Director of the FLAG “PESCANDO – Central Western Sardinia”.
Latest news
SATURN: First monitoring of the anti trawling barriers off the Sinis Coast
Over 60 deterrents, which last February were placed between 30-40 metres on sandy seabeds to protect the habitats of the marine protected area and to counteract the threat of illegal…
MEDSEA and Civil Protection: United in the Fight Against Fires Amplified by Climate Change
In recent days, MEDSEA's land reforestation unit visited the operational centre of the regional civil protection in Cagliari and the CVA in Pula. The goal? To delve deeper into the prevention and rescue activities…
Ucraina, Environment at the Crossroads
War is perhaps the phenomenon that best describes our belonging to the Anthropocene, a term used to summarise the current geological era, characterised by the dominance of human technique that possesses…
BLUE4ALL Project: Co-Creating Effective, Efficient, and Resilient Marine Protected Areas for Biodiversity Conservation
The BLUE4ALL project, a groundbreaking initiative focused on the co-creation of effective, efficient, and resilient networks of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), is set to revolutionize marine biodiversity conservation and restoration efforts. The project aims…
Giancarlo Gusmaroli, MEDSEA Ambassador, is over halfway through his "Hug The Med" climbing mission
Giancarlo Gusmaroli, an engineer specializing in aquatic ecosystems, an avid sports enthusiast, and ambassador for MEDSEA, relaunches his mission "Climb/Hug the Med" (on Facebook with the hashtags: #climbthemed and #hugthemed). A journey…
EU Nature Restoration Law was approved: the immediate target is to restore at least 20% of ecosystems by 2030
With 336 votes in favour, 300 against, and 13 abstentions, the European Parliament approved on July 12th the Nature Restoration Law, a historic legislation aiming to restore 20% of natural ecosystems by 2030…
Hope for Sennariolo: The environmental requalification project in the aftermath of the Montiferru fire gets underway.
With "Hope for Sennariolo", environmental regeneration following the devastating fire of Montiferru, Planargia and Alta Marmilla in July 2021, is taking shape. The MEDSEA Foundation and the Municipality of Sennariolo announce…
Anti-trawling systems from Sardinia marble quarries: a new MEDSEA project with University of Cagliari
MEDSEA is studying anti-trawling solutions derived from marble processing waste in Sardinia with the University of Cagliari - DICAAR Department as a natural continuation of the "Saturn" Anti-trawling Structures for the Natural Restoration and Protection of…
Extreme-E supports A Forest for Bees by MEDSEA: A full immersion in the life of Bees during the IslandXPrix
Extreme E, the international competition of electric SUVs, has renewed its collaboration with MEDSEA to support the A Forest For Bees campaign. This initiative aims to create a widespread nectariferous forest in…
SATURN, closing event in Cabras with fishermen and supporters
With a seaside aperitif in Cabras, together with the fishermen, the SATURN project - anti-trawling systems for the protection and natural restoration of the Marine Protected Area of Sinis - Isola…
MEDSEA Achieves Accreditation at UNEP: A Gateway to Global Environmental Advocacy
MEDSEA has become one of the 11 Italian foundations to receive accreditation from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations program for the environment. Accreditation at UNEP is a…
The 5th edition of 'Puliamo la Sella!' collects over one ton of waste in Cagliari, including plastics and abandoned fishing…
Over 200 participants, one ton of waste collected, and special attention given to 'ghost nets' in collaboration with the Coast Guard of Cagliari. The MEDSEA Foundation concludes the fifth edition of “Puliamo la Sella!" event, dedicated to cleaning the beach, sea, and seabed around La Sella del Diavolo.
Reforesting seagrass meadows: the green belt from the Mediterranean to the Baltic Sea
Three European marine conservation foundations have joined forces to strengthen international marine protection measures and well-being of the seas. The coalition aims to increase the number of seagrass meadows from the…
Puliamo la Sella! returns to Cagliari on June 17th. Come join!
Puliamo la Sella! returns to Cagliari on 17 June 2023. The traditional clean up organised by the MEDSEA Foundation in the iconic Sella del Diavolo in Cagliari turns 5 in a special edition dedicated to sustainable…
SATURN meets the students from the "De Castro" high school in Oristano to talk about anti-trawling
The SATURN project team - anti-trawling structures to defend the Marine Protected Area of the Sinis Peninsula from illegal trawling - met the students of the De Castro in Oristano in recent…
TransformAR stops off in Galicia, studying solutions for aquaculture to adapt to climate changes
TransformAr recently stopped off in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, for the 4th Meeting of the Consortium of the Horizon H2020 project which studies essential solutions and paths for climate and social resilience…
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4