Distribution of the Mediterranean ribbed limpet Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 along the Ligurian coast and implications for conservation actions

Patella ferruginea is a limpet endemic to the Western Mediterranean Sea. It is presently considered the most threatened marine macroinvertebrate in the region and has been included in several international conservation directives. Its populations were widespread throughout the Western Mediterranean in the late Pleistocene period, and remained broadly distributed until the 19th century. Presently this species is confined into small populations in a few restricted areas due to human harvesting for food and baits, construction of coastal infrastructures and the effects of seawater pollution. In particular, the species is reported as presently disappeared from the whole of the Italian continental coast and measures are in progress to reintroduce the species through translocation and reproduction in controlled conditions along the Ligurian coasts of the Northwestern Mediterranean.Recent surveys implemented in the framework of the present work along the Ligurian coasts, to assess the most suitable sites for reintroduction, resulted in the discovery of 32 specimens of this endemic limpet, which previously was thought to have vanished from the area. These findings shed new light on the ability of species to naturally disperse, the relevance of the measures set in place to restore presently rarefied populations and may provide information to aid in the selection and management of sites within the Natura 2000 Ecological network

Recreational fisheries within the Portofino MPA and surrounding areas (Ligurian Sea, Western Mediterranean Sea)

In the Mediterranean Sea, recreational fishing is a popular activity and anglers catch a significant amount of fish which could represent more than 10% of the total harvesting in a littoral area. The Portofino Marine Protected Area, established in 1999 in the Ligurian Sea (North-Western Mediterranean), traditionally hosts a well-developed recreational fishery. Aim of this study has been to characterize the activities of the local anglers, analysing their annual harvesting within and around the Portofino MPA and the species composition of the catches. This was possible studying data from the mandatory anglers' logbooks, and through interviews and surveys at sea. In 2015, the 340 checked anglers fished, in average, 1 kg/day, on average, mainly by trolling or handlining systems. Each fisherman, during 25 (± 21) trips, fished approximately 25 kg/year, for a total harvesting of about 8-9 t/year. Seriola dumerili, with 230 kg/year, was the species most caught in terms of biomass. It was followed by Coryphaena hippurus (130 kg/year). In addition, the analysis of catches occurring during local fishing competitions organized off the MPA limits suggested a harvesting capacity for each angler varying between 0.7 and 1.1 kg/angler per day, depending on the used gear (handlining, trolling, spear-guns). Finally, 36% of the anglers claimed to hook often the hard bottom seabed, often losing nylon lines. Consequently, the Management Body of the Portofino MPA has been advised to suspend recreational fishing activities in the most busy areas for a period of two years, calling for a complete removal of the lost fishing gears

ClimateFish: A Collaborative Database to Track the Abundance of Selected Coastal Fish Species as Candidate Indicators of Climate Change in the Mediterranean Sea

Under the effects of global warming, many animals and plants are undergoing rapid distribution shifts. These changes can be particularly rapid in marine fishes, and many species have responded markedly to recent increases in sea temperature. ClimateFish is an open-access database, which collates abundance data for 7 Mediterranean indigenous and 8 non-indigenous fishes, proposed as candidate indicators of climate change. These species have been selected by a network of Mediterranean scientists based on their wide distribution, responsiveness to temperature conditions and easy identification. Data are periodically collected according to a standard visual census protocol in four different depth layers. At present, the database collates data on a total number of 101'771 observed individuals belonging to the 15 target species. Counts were realized along 3142 transects carried out in 7 Mediterranean countries between 2009 and 2021. This database, associated with climate data, offers new opportunities to investigate spatiotemporal effects of climate change and to test the effectiveness of each selected indicator. Data are available at https://doi.org/10.17882/86784.The Mediterranean ClimateFish initiative was initially conceived by the international basin wide monitoring program CIESM Tropical Signals (funded by the Albert II of Monaco Foundation) and subsequently supported by the Interreg Med Programme (Projects: MPA-ADAPT, grant number 1MED15_3.2_M2_337 and MPA Engage, grant number 5MED18_3.2_M23_007), 85% co funded by the European Regional Development Fund

Fourth International Conference on the Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life

Within the framework of the EU Life+ project named LIFE09 NAT/IT/000190 ARION, a permanent autonomous real-time passive acoustic monitoring system has been implemented in the Portofino Marine Protected Area (IT) for the improvement of the conservation status of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). The system is able to detect and track in real time the simultaneous presence of dolphins and motor boats in the study area. This information is used to prevent collisions and noise pollution by diffusing warning presence messages to the end users involved, as sailors and tourists. In three years of data collecting the proper functioning of the system has been validated. A large number of dolphin pods has been detected and localized. Furthermore different types of motor boats have been tracked in the study area. The system is also able to measure different marine parameters and to obtain the ambient background noise in order to understand the influence of human activities on the dolphin behavior. This type of research is in progress and the first results are shown

ARION System for coastal dolphin conservation: A tool for real-time dolphin passive acoustic monitoring in the Portofino Marine Protected Area

Within the framework of the EU Life+ project named LIFE09 NAT/IT/000190 ARION, a permanent autonomous real-time passive acoustic monitoring system has been implemented in the Portofino Marine Protected Area (IT) for the improvement of the conservation status of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). The system is able to detect and track in real time the simultaneous presence of dolphins and motor boats in the study area. This information is used to prevent collisions and noise pollution by diffusing warning presence messages to the end users involved, as sailors and tourists. In three years of data collecting the proper functioning of the system has been validated. A large number of dolphin pods has been detected and localized. Furthermore different types of motor boats have been tracked in the study area. The system is also able to measure different marine parameters and to obtain the ambient background noise in order to understand the influence of human activities on the dolphin behavior. This type of research is in progress and the first results are shown

Assessing interacting impacts of artisanal and recreational fisheries in a small Marine Protected Area (Portofino, NW Mediterranean Sea)

MMMPA-Training Network for Monitoring Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas; European Community's Seventh Framework Programme [290056] This study was supported by the MMMPA-Training Network for Monitoring Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas, which has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement no. 290056.International audienceMarine Protected Areas (MPAs) have spread across the Mediterranean to protect its rich biodiversity and manage human activities for a more sustainable coastal development. Within MPAs, traditional artisanal fishing is competing for space and resources with increasing recreational fishing, likely leading to interacting ecological effects. Such effects are difficult to unravel, given the multispecies character of both fisheries and the complexity of the food webs upon which they both impact. To address these issues, we developed an Ecopath and EcoTroph trophic model for the Portofino MPA case study (NW Mediter-ranean), in particular to (1) identify keystone species and assess fishing impact on them; (2) analyze the interacting impact of artisanal and recreational fishing on ecosystem biomass and trophic structure; and (3) assess the impact of recreational fishing on artisanal fishing catches. Two high trophic level predator (HTLP) groups coupled important keystone roles with high sensitivity to fishing pressure and should thus be regarded as " sentinels " to be prioritized for the definition of management actions. Recreational fishing had the widest impact on the food web, strongly impacting HTLP. Simulation of different mortality scenarios for each fishery highlighted that the ecosystem is far from its carrying capacity for HTLP. Forbidding recreational fishing allowed a 24% increase in HTLP biomass and benefited artisanal fishing by increased availability of HTLP catches. Artisanal fishing alone could instead be maintained with a moderate impact on the food web. Overall, Ecopath and EcoTroph modeling is a valuable tool to advise MPA management, but it is essential to increase data availability and quality by developing long-term monitoring programs on key species and on artisanal and recreational fishing

On the effects of recreational SCUBA diving on fragile benthic species: The Portofino MPA (NW Mediterranean Sea) case study

The main aims of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are the conservation of natural habitats and their biological resources, together with the promotion of an eco-compatible economic fruition. In Mediterranean MPAs, the main threats for hard bottom benthic communities come from fishing and mass tourism, in terms of boating and SCUBA diving. The Portofino MPA (Ligurian Sea, North-western Mediterranean Sea) is one of the top diving destinations in Europe and currently hosts an average of 40,000 dives per year, which are mainly carried out along coralligenous cliffs, a habitat of European Community interest, particularly vulnerable to mechanical damages due to the fragility of its numerous calcified species. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effects of recreational SCUBA diving on benthic ecosystems characterised by the presence of red coral and other associated fragile species. The impact was assessed through the analysis of the biomasses of target organisms (Corallium rubrum, Leptopsammia pruvoti, Madracis pharensis, and six species of bryozoans) whose fragments were found in the sediments at the base of the cliff. The amounts of these fragments inside the detritus in highly frequented sites were significantly higher than those measured in undisturbed sites, of up to 10 times. Our data suggested a recurrent mechanical action, with also very recent breakages, as demonstrated by the occurrence of living, freshly detached organisms. Red coral and other calcified species may be sensitive also to natural (heavy storms) and human (fishing) mechanical pressures other than diving: the characterization of these impacts in the study sites, however, indicates divers frequentation as the major contributor to the damages inflicted and suggests the need for specific management measures

Economic benefits and ecological costs from users in marine protected areas: linking contingent valuation and emergy analysis.

The evaluation of ecosystem services provided by the environment is usually realized basing on principles linked with the economic theory and then on the assumptions that 1) individuals have preferences for different market and non-market goods, 2) these goods are substitutable the one to each other. Methods for measuring these values fall into two categories: revealed preference and stated preference. Revealed preference measurements are based on observations of users\u2019 behavior, while stated preference ones are based on responses to hypothetical questions. The main method among stated preferences ones is the contingent valuation, that directly asks individuals about the values they would place or place on an environmental good/service. Users\u2019 preferences are then evaluated, for example, investigating the willingness to pay (the maximum amount a person would be willing to pay for an increment of a good) for a good via a survey or questionnaire. The methodology has been applied to a couple of cases located in the north western part of Italy: Portofino and Cinque Terre MPA. In this case people were initially asked if they were aware about the existence of Marine Protected Area, later they were asked if, given that marine protected areas must protect coastal and marine environments, protect cultural, economic and environmental assets (especially with regard to flora and fauna), they judged the establishment of these areas as a priority, important, not very important, irrelevant. Finally they were asked how much would they be willing to pay to protect and save the area (\u20ac per year). The amount of money people declared to be available to pay can be compared with costs imposed by users on the environment to perform their activities. These costs are evaluated by the assessment of users\u2019 consumptions, estimated through information collected contextually to contingent valuation questionnaire and translated in emergy terms. The calculated emergy amount can be translated in money terms through the adoption of emergy to money ratio being then comparable with results from contingent valuation. In such a way it can be understood how much users value the natural services from MPA as well as what they really require to the environment to enjoy it

High Megabenthic Complexity and Vulnerability of a Mesophotic Rocky Shoal Support Its Inclusion in a Mediterranean MPA

The deep shoal of Punta del Faro (Ligurian Sea, Mediterranean Sea) is a mesophotic rocky elevation hosting complex animal forests threatened by fishing activities. To identify appropriate conservation measures and set a reference example for similar cases, we present a detailed characterization of its megabenthic communities and a quantification of the fishing pressure. The results highlight the high natural value of the area, presenting high biodiversity (111 megabenthic and demersal species) and diverse types of animal forest, predominantly dominated by cnidarians. The tridimensional seascape is among the most complex in the eastern Ligurian Sea, but the long-term evaluation of its environmental status suggested consistent affects due to the high abundance of lost fishing gear (0.65 items m−2) directly entangled with structuring cnidarians. The artisanal and recreational fishing pressure are currently moderate. However, the use of bottom-contact fishing gear causes significant modifications to the seafloor’s integrity. This study emphasizes the high conservation value and vulnerability of the shoal, highlighting the importance of its protection through its inclusion in the Portofino MPA, whose external perimeter is 200 m from the study area. A critical discussion of the advantages and disadvantages is provided with a map of the possible extension of the MPA boundaries