Seas and oceans are major attractions for tourists worldwide, largely due to their rich and diverse living ecosystems. From mammals, fish, and shellfish to algae, sponges, and plankton, marine ecosystems are veritable treasures of biodiversity. According to the 2022 World Register of Marine Species, Earth’s largest ecosystem – the oceans and seas, which are covering 71% of the planet – is home to around 242,000 known and described marine species.
Interestingly, this biodiversity lies at the heart of nature-based tourism products such as sailing, wildlife observation, diving, snorkelling, and tours of protected areas. Such tourism connects people with nature and, if conducted sustainably, can foster a sense of environmental responsibility.
Unfortunately, tourism is not always sustainable or eco-friendly. Practical solutions are needed to reduce the impact of coastal and nautical tourism on marine and coastal biodiversity. This is the focus of the BIOPRESSADRIA project, a two-year initiative funded under the Interreg Italy-Croatia Cross-Border Cooperation Program.
To spread awareness about the project’s goals and activities, BIOPRESSADRIA was showcased in October at the Barcolana, the largest sailing regatta in the world.
Introducing BIOPRESSADRIA at Barcolana
The lead project partner, the Municipality of Monfalcone, coordinated and gathered project partners at one location – Trieste. Apart from Sunce, representatives from various organizations participated, including SELC Cooperative Company, CORILA – Consortium for coordination of research activities concerning the Venice lagoon system, Management consortium of Porto Cesareo Marine Protected Area, Public Institution National Park Kornati, Public Institution for the Management of Protected Nature Areas of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, and Public Institution for the Management of Protected Areas of Split-Dalmatia County – Sea and Karst.
Barcolana is held annually on the second Sunday of October in Trieste. According to its official site, this international regatta – which celebrated its 56th anniversary this year – once again managed to combine competitive racing with the popular spirit of sailing, turning Trieste into Europe’s sailing capital.
– The Barcolana Village, which in 2024 edition attracted over 400,000 visitors, was an excellent opportunity to present BIOPRESSADRIA to the nautical community and the broader public. The project targets a wide network of stakeholders, with the nautical community being a primary one. Our aim was to raise awareness about the importance of seagrasses and the need to protect them from widespread anchoring. Additionally, we highlighted the damage free anchoring causes to seagrass meadows, – said Antonio Pavanello from Monfalcone. Vida Zrnčić, an Expert Associate at Nature Conservation Department from Sunce, concurred.
– Participating in such events is crucial as it allows direct interaction with stakeholders, whose perspectives and experiences are crucial for effectively conveying our messages. Although many skippers are already aware of this issue, it’s important to reach those less informed. The key is to bring this issue into focus and encourage broader discussions among all stakeholders to contribute to the preservation of these valuable ecosystems and the effective implementation of solutions to enhance the protection of important marine habitats.
Ecological moorings – a potential solution
All partners agree that nautical tourism is essential for both Croatian and Italian economies, but sustainable solutions must be implemented to protect marine and coastal ecosystems while sustaining tourism’s economic contributions.
One such solution, already implemented by Monfalcone and Kornati National Park, involves installing ecological moorings in high-traffic tourist areas. This was a prominent topic at the project’s booth.
– At the regatta, we set up a booth with posters explaining the importance of seagrass protection and encouraging boaters to use sustainable options like ecological buoys. We distributed project leaflets with QR codes linking to our website. Additionally, we collaborated with Corila to distribute flyers about their research on seagrass ecosystem services, which were available on Italian, English and Croatian, – explained Pavanello.
Exploring the Marine Protected Area of Miramare
Besides the regatta, the lead partner organized a partner’s meeting in Monfalcone to discuss current and future activities.
We also visited the Marine Protected Area of Miramare, on which coast is a 19th-century castle built for Austrian Archduke Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium. As a matter of fact, Miramare, translated from Italian, means ‘a view of the sea,’ and in this case, it refers to a view of the marine reserve. The Marine Protected Area of Miramare spans 30 hectares under full protection and includes an additional 90-hectare buffer zone established in 1955, by order of the Port Authority, to protect against night fishing practices that threatened the ecosystem. This was a popular activity in the Gulf of Trieste at that time and posed a risk to the whole reserve.
Near the castle, at the Marine Biodiversity Centre (BioMa), we discovered the richness of species in the protected waters of the Gulf. Reconstructions of submerged reefs, sandy and muddy sediments, and displays of sponges, corals, fishes, crustaceans, shellfishes, and other marine organisms offered a realistic portrayal of Italy’s underwater world. The center also features a model of seagrass meadows – a habitat we aim to protect as part of the BIOPRESSADRIA project.”
– Like terrestrial vegetation stabilizes slopes and prevents erosion, these underwater seagrass meadows stabilize the seabed, reduce wave energy, and minimize coastal erosion. They produce oxygen, absorb CO2, and provide essential habitats for various species, including seahorses and noble pen shells. These meadows also serve as nurseries for young marine life, – explained the center’s staff.
Human pressures on the Adriatic ecosystem
The center also addressed anthropogenic pressures on the ecosystem, particularly plastic pollution. A striking plastic vortex installation illustrated the dangers to marine life, like turtles swimming amid litter. The discussion shifted to the threats faced by Posidonia oceanica, a species Sunce has been protecting for over 15 years. This summer, we our focus intensified with the campaign And where do you anchor? targeting sailors and sea lovers.
– Seagrass meadows are among the most important and endangered marine habitats. Anchors and anchor chains are significant threats, as they irreversibly damage and fragment these delicate ecosystems. Even anchoring in areas where seagrass has died negatively impacts the environment. Apart from free anchoring, other threats include coastal infilling, wastewater, aquaculture, and trawling, – emphasized Zrnčić.
Sharing data and experiences on these pressures across borders will greatly aid efforts to implement effective solutions for the protection of valuable marine habitats.
