Inattentive boaters, increasing boats, increasingly hot waters. The oceans And the other large water basins of the world – and in particular the Mediterranean – have never been so under pressure. And to pay it is also one of the most precious and fragile ecosystems of our sea: the Posidonia.
Every 8 June the World Oceans day It reminds us how urgent it is to protect the seas, custodians of biodiversity and irreplaceable allies against the climatic crisis. But the 2025 edition has an extra urgency. While in Nice it opens the UN conference on the oceansnew scientific evidence tell an increasingly alarming scenario for the submerged “green lungs” of the Mediterranean: the Praterias of Posidonia Oceanic are increasingly threatened by human behavior and environmental changes.
The sea warms up, life slows down
According to the latest report of theUNESCO-IOCthe oceans are heating up at a double rhythm compared to twenty years ago. A figure that has waterfall effects on the entire ecosystem: from the redistribution of marine species to the acidification of the water, to the creation of dead zones without oxygen. For fishing, food safety and the health of the planet, it is a systemic risk.
The Mediterranean is no exception. In particular, the grasslands of Posidonia oceanica – endemic plant of our seas, often exchanged for a alga – are suffering a double attack: on the one hand the increasing temperatures, on the other the direct impact of nautical activities, primarily unregulated anchors.
The hidden impact of the anchors
The WWF launched the report “today with the world day”SafeGuarding Mediterranean Seagrass Meadows from Anchoring Damage“, Based on the analysis of AIS data of boats throughout the basin. The result is dramatic: in only 2024 50,000 hectares of Posidonia are at risk, equal to about 70,000 football fields.
Italy is in the first place for the number of impactsfollowed by Spain and Türkiye. “In the Golfo Aranci and La Maddalena – explains the WWF – there are over 13,000 anchors during the summer season. 45% of the boats involved exceeds 24 meters and large boats are responsible for almost 60% of the damage”.
Second Mauro RandoneMarine Ecosystem Manager for the Mediterranean WWF, “anchoring damage is slow to heal, with scars that require even more than 100 years to recover”.
Why is Posidonia so important?
It is not just a matter of biodiversity. The Prateries of Posidonia are essential for the climate and environmental balance of the Mediterranean: they absorb CO₂, protect the coasts from erosion and offer refuge to dozens of marine species. The brown rugs that accumulate on the beaches in winter are not waste to be removed, but natural “air-bag” against the strength of the waves.
According to WWF, the loss of Posidonia is equivalent to economic damage greater than 4 billion euros per year, considering compromised ecosystem services.
What can be done?
Solutions exist, but require political will and cooperation. The WWF proposes:
A concrete example is the project “Together for the South Adriatic“, Which will start in the autumn with the aim of restoring the meadows between the Apulian coasts, also threatened by climate change.
“Stop food Oils & Fats in the Sea”: another battle front
Always on the occasion of June 8, the campaign “from Sperlonga”Stop Food Oils & Fats in the Sea”, Promoted by Conoe and by the company New plastic C. The goal is to sensitize the boaters against the spilling in the sea of exhausted food oils, often paid directly by the on -board kitchens. Oils create a film on the surface of the water, hindering oxygenation and damaging the marine fauna.
The campaign offers a container free of charge with recycled plastic, including the one recovered by the oceans, to facilitate the collection and the correct conferment of the exhausted oils.
The sea needs time (and respect)
“Protection and better management represent the most effective ways to safeguard these ecosystems of critical importance,” recalls Randone. But the time holds. The decade of the sea promoted by the UN asks for a clean, safe and productive ocean by 2030. To do this, rigorous policies are needed, accessible technology, and a cultural change that starts from each of us. Because every still left falling without attention could be an extra wound to the blue heart of our planet.
