The association’s main mission is the protection of the marine environment and its seabed; this is accomplished primarily through the promotion of sustainable fishing.
To this end, we protect large stretches of the Maremma coastline by laying specially designed blocks in the sea to encourage fish restocking and prevent overfishing caused by illegal fishing.
Photo G. Cappelli
PROTECTION OF THE MAREMMA COAST
Since 2006, the Region of Tuscany, at Paolo Fanciulli’s initiative, has been launching a project to protect the Maremma Coast by means of concrete block barriers, which promote fish restocking and prevent illegal trawling.
In 2013, the project became part of a Protocol of Intent signed between the Tuscany Region, the Province of Grosseto, coastal municipalities and the Casa dei Pesci Association,
The operation was partly implemented, with the laying of several hundred blocks in the area highlighted in yellow
In 2024, the association plans to extend the protected area northward, adopting special concrete blocks, specially made for fish restocking
Barriers already placed in the sea have created a protective strip, running from Giannella Beach to Alberese Beach. The increase in fish fauna has been witnessed by the return of dolphins to the area.
Photo G. Cappelli
Preservation of the seabed
The association’s main mission is the protection of the marine environment and its seabed; this is accomplished primarily through the promotion of sustainable fishing.
To this end, we protect large stretches of the Maremma coastline by laying specially designed blocks in the sea to encourage fish restocking and prevent overfishing caused by illegal fishing.
PROTECTION OF THE MAREMMA COAST
Since 2006, the Region of Tuscany, at Paolo Fanciulli’s initiative, has been launching a project to protect the Maremma Coast by means of concrete block barriers, which promote fish restocking and prevent illegal trawling.
In 2013, the project became part of a Protocol of Intent signed between the Tuscany Region, the Province of Grosseto, coastal municipalities and the Casa dei Pesci Association,
The operation was partly implemented, with the laying of several hundred blocks in the area highlighted in yellow
In 2024, the association plans to extend the protected area northward, adopting special concrete blocks, specially made for fish restocking
Barriers already placed in the sea have created a protective strip, running from Giannella Beach to Alberese Beach. The increase in fish fauna has been witnessed by the return of dolphins to the area.
Plans for the near future include expanding the protection zone in the area north of the mouth of the Ombrone River, which is particularly important because of the presence of several fish species living between the last stretch of the river and the marine area in front of it.
A sustainable fishery should
 | Respect the marine ecosystem by avoiding damaging the seabed |
| Adapt to the reproductive rhythms of fish species, so as to maintain a balance between reproduction and catch, and ensure the survival of all species |
| Use selective methods to reduce bycatch |
| Avoid the capture of undersized specimens, endangered species, or species with no commercial value |
Bottom trawling
is a fishing system in which the vessel drags a large bag net on the bottom, weighted at the bottom edge with heavy ballast, which catches all the fish present,
It results in
| severe damage to the environment (destruction of posidonia and coralligenous on the seabed) |
| high bycatch (catching fish species of little commercial interest) |
| high risk of overfishing |
| air pollution due to the release of carbon dioxide trapped in the seafloor |
Bottom trawling
is the most widely used fishing system in industrial fishing in the world
represents the most important economic investment made by large fishing companies
but
it is an unsustainable fishing system
therefore
it is an obsolete technology that should evolve to more sustainable forms
To curb the impact of bottom trawling, several Italian and European regulations have been enacted
Current regulations in Italy on bottom trawling
- minimum mesh size of the net > 40 mm.
- minimum distance from the coast > 3 nautical miles
- minimum depth of the seabed > 50 m.
- compliance with biological closure periods
- prohibition of fishing in marine protected areas
Sustainable Fisheries Package – European Commission 02/23
- ban on fishing in marine protected areas
- extension of marine protected areas to 30 percent of Europe’s coastline (now 10 percent)
These regulations are the subject of several disputes and are sometimes not respected;
bottom trawling is still practiced
ILLEGALLY
a short distance from the coast and/or in marine protected areas
The problem also occurs on the coasts of the Maremma and in the marine protected areas of the Tuscan Archipelago
Photo G. Cappelli
Photo G. Cappelli
Until the last century, the tools with which mankind operated at sea were basically natural…Sails, oars, vegetable ropes, wooden boats. The impact on underwater life was absolutely insignificant and the whole trophic chain had its protagonists in relative balance.
The merry onslaught on fish resources and beyond slowly began after World War II and gradually intensified by putting in place increasingly impactful boats, engines and technologies, and, to the initial decrease in products, in order to increase or simply maintain constant incomes, they made up for it by increasing fishing tools and efforts.
As a result, resource capital, which has been in relative balance for thousands of years, we are rapidly eroding it; in essence, the long timescales of sea life are being assaulted by the very short timescales of the market economy.
A sustainable fishery should
| respect the marine ecosystem |
| adapt to the reproductive rates of fish species, so as to maintain a balance between reproduction and catch, and ensure the survival of all species |
| use selective methods to reduce bycatch |
| avoid catching undersized specimens, endangered species, or species with no commercial value |
Bottom trawling
is a fishing system in which the vessel drags a large bag net on the bottom, weighted at the bottom edge with heavy ballast, which catches all the fish present,
It results in
| severe damage to the environment (destruction of posidonia and coralligenous on the seabed) |
| high bycatch (catching fish species of little commercial interest) |
| high risk of overfishing |
| air pollution due to the release of carbon dioxide trapped in the seafloor |
Bottom trawling
is the most widely used fishing system in industrial fishing in the world
represents the most important economic investment made by large fishing companies
but
it is the least sustainable fishing system there is
therefore
it is an obsolete technology
To curb the negative impact of bottom trawling, several Italian and European regulations have been enacted
Current regulations in Italy on bottom trawling
- minimum net mesh size > 40 mm.
- minimum distance from the coast > 3 nautical miles
- minimum depth of the seabed > 50 m.
- compliance with biological closure periods
- prohibition of fishing in marine protected areas
Sustainable Fisheries Package – European Commission 02/23
- ban on fishing in marine protected areas
- extension of marine protected areas up to 30% of European coastline ( today 10%)
These regulations are hotly contested and often not complied with;
bottom trawling is practiced
ILLEGALLY
a short distance from the coast and/or in marine protected areas
The problem also occurs on the coasts of Maremma and in the marine protected areas of the Tuscan Archipelago
Photo G. Cappelli
Until the last century, the tools with which mankind operated at sea were basically natural…Sails, oars, vegetable ropes, wooden boats. The impact on underwater life was absolutely insignificant and the whole trophic chain had its protagonists in relative balance.
The merry onslaught on fish resources and beyond slowly began after World War II and gradually intensified by putting in place increasingly impactful boats, engines and technologies, and, to the initial decrease in products, in order to increase or simply maintain constant incomes, they made up for it by increasing fishing tools and efforts.
As a result, resource capital, which has been in relative balance for thousands of years, we are rapidly eroding it; in essence, the long timescales of sea life are being assaulted by the very short timescales of the market economy.
The life expectancy of many marine species exceeds 20 years and “commercial” size is reached in the wild in at least 3-5 years, cephalopods aside (about 2 years).
It is necessary to protect the most valuable species, which are being fished precisely at the most sensitive time when the so-called “spawning rams” are forming. Instituting short periods of prohibition even in small areas, usually known to fishermen, would allow the completion of reproductive cycles for snappers, bass, and sea bream, which today show signs of suffering both in rarefaction and in the flattening of age classes into smaller and smaller sizes.
As an example, we report the reproductive rate of sea bass according to a French study
The life expectancy of many marine species exceeds 20 years and “commercial” size is reached in the wild in at least 3-5 years, cephalopods aside (about 2 years).
It is necessary to protect the most valuable species, which are being fished precisely at the most sensitive time when the so-called “spawning rams” are forming. Instituting short periods of prohibition even in small areas, usually known to fishermen, would allow the completion of reproductive cycles for snappers, bass, and sea bream, which today show signs of suffering both in rarefaction and in the flattening of age classes into smaller and smaller sizes.
As an example, we report the reproductive rate of sea bass according to a French study