PROMoting Elasmobranchs conservation THrough by-catch reduction, Ecotourism and alternative sUStainable fisheries
Abstract
LIFE-PROMETHEUS (LIFE23-NAT-IT-LIFE-PROMETHEUS/101148295) is coordinated by the Polytechnic University of Marche. The project aims at improving the conservation of elasmobranchs by reducing their bycatch, promoting alternative sustainable fisheries and ecotourism activities. This will be achieved by carrying out pilot and demonstrative actions in twelve Mediterranean areas which represent biodiversity hotspots or essential fish habitats for some phases of the species’ life history (i.e., spawning, foraging, etc.), spanning across the whole basin, from the Balearic Islands to the Gulf of Lion, from the Ligurian Sea to the northern Sardinia, the Egadi Islands and the Sicily Strait, the northern and the southern Adriatic Sea, three areas in Greece, and Cyprus waters. Specifically, the objectives of LIFE-PROMETHEUS are: 1. assessing the impacts of cutting-edge deterring technology (both electric and magnetic deterrents) to reduce the bycatch of threatened elasmobranch species; 2. promoting alternative sustainable fisheries in specific areas/periods critical for the selected elasmobranch species, supporting the shift to the Invasive Alien Species (IAS) fishery; 3. promoting sustainable ecotourism in areas of elasmobranchs' aggregations; 4. quantifying the economic and practical advantage of using bycatch mitigation measures and alternative practices by fishers; 5. involving fishers in species conservation, supporting the sustainable and efficient use of marine resources; 6. providing guidance for financial incentives for fishers who decide to implement conservation-aimed mitigation measures; 7. evaluating a replicable approach of the project's results in other areas of the Mediterranean and EU; 8. increasing public awareness involving both the public and coastal users about the importance of sustainable seafood choices (through the adoption of a shark-free ecolabel by supply-chain and restaurateurs, but also through the consumption of IAS); 9. lobbying local, regional, national, and European authorities to support fishing practices pledging sustainable use of marine resources.
Project details
Univpm Team Leader and project coordinator: Emanuela Fanelli, e.fanelli@staff.univpm.it
Univpm involved Department:
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente
Coordinator:
Università Politecnica delle Marche (Italy)
Beneficiary partners:
Marine and Environmental Research (MER) Lab LTD (Cyprus)
Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas - CSIC (Spain)
Universitat de les Illes Balears - UIB (Spain)
Societe Cooperative Maritime des Pecheurs de Sete Mole – SATHOAN (France)
Panepistimio Patron - University of Patras (Greece)
Astiki Mi Kerdoskopiki Etaireiagia Tin Prostasia Ton Ydatinonoikosystimaton - iSea (Greece)
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM – Università di Bologna (Italy)
Università degli Studi di Genova - UNIGE (Italy)
Università degli Studi di Palermo - UNIPA (Italy)
Centro Sperimentale per la Tutela degli Habitat APS – CESTHA (Italy)
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn – SZN (Italy)
Università degli Studi di Padova – UNIPD (Italy)
Comune di Santa Teresa Gallura – Area Marina Protetta Capo Testa-Punta Falcone (Italy)
Fondazione COISPA ETS (Italy)
Federazione Nazionale della Imprese di Pesca (Italy)
Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale – ISPRA (Italy)
Net European Consulting SRLS (Italy)
WWF Italia (Italy)
Associated partners:
Comune di Lampedusa e Linosa – Area Marina Protetta Isole Pelagie (Italy)
Comune di Favignana – Area Marina Protetta Isole Egadi (Italy)
Federazione Nazionale della Imprese di Pesca -FEDERPESCA (Italy)
Total costs: Euro (EUR) 7,170,997
Total Eu Contribution: Euro (EUR) 4,302,598
Project Duration in months: 60
Start Date: 01/10/2024
End Date: 30/09/2029
This project contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.
This project has received funding from the European Union's LIFE Programme under grant agreement No 101148295