Victory for the sea (and for us)! The largest marine reserve in the Adriatic is born

Good news for the environment and for the biodiversity of the Mediterranean: the General Fisheries Commission in the Mediterranean (CGPM) established the largest marine reserve in the Adriaticin the Otranto Channel. A goal achieved after years of campaigns and negotiations, led by MedReAct and the Adriatic Recovery Project, which finally offers concrete protection to this unique ecosystem.

The new fishing restricted area (FRA) it extends for over 1,900 km2 and provides for a ban on bottom fishing. An additional buffer area of ​​approximately 700 km2 will be restricted to reduce the impact of fishing.

Biodiversity to be protected

The Otranto Canal is an area of ​​extraordinary ecological importance. Its steep slopes, which reach depths of over 900 metres, are home to a rich variety of marine habitats and species. Among these, the white coralsdeep sponge aggregations and some of the most important gardens of Isidella elongata from the Mediterraneana gorgonian that plays a fundamental role in the marine ecosystem and whose survival is put at risk by trawling and warming waters, as reported by a study published in Nature last March.

“The Otranto Canal constitutes a unique area in the Adriatic thanks to its steep slopes and the presence of physical characteristics that influence water circulation and water exchange with the entire Mediterranean basin,” explains MedReAct. “Its seabed, rich in organisms, hosts white corals and aggregations of deep sponges as well as some of the most important Isidella elongata gardens in the Mediterranean”.

Isidella elongata, also known as “bamboo coral”, forms colonies that they act as nurseries for prawns, hake and scampi, increasing marine biodiversity and supporting fishing.

A refuge for endangered species

In addition to the richness of the seabed, the Otranto Canal is a crucial habitat for dolphins, sea turtles, sea devils and Cuvier’s whales. In 2021, over 100 researchers from 37 Italian universities and research centers launched an appeal for its protection, underlining the importance of preserving this ecological corridor for the migration and reproduction of numerous species.

A model to replicate

The establishment of the marine reserve in the Otranto Channel follows the success of the FRA in the Fossa di Pomoin the central Adriatic, created in 2017. In this area, an incredible increase in the biomass of scampi and hake has been recorded in just a few years, demonstrating that the protection of marine habitats also brings concrete benefits for fishing.

“After the establishment of the Pomo Trench FRA and that of the Bari Canyon, the establishment of a new marine reserve in the Otranto Channel constitutes a further step towards the creation of the first FRA network in the Mediterranean in the Adriatic: a model to be replicated in the rest of the region“, declared Domitilla Senni of MedReAct.

The creation of a network of marine protected areas is essential for safeguard the biodiversity of the Mediterraneanone of the most exploited seas in the world and most affected by the effects of climate change. Marine reserves allow ecosystems to regenerate, protect endangered species and contribute to the sustainable management of fish resources.