As Robert Swan, the British historian, explorer, and activist, and the first person to walk to both poles of the Earth, once said that The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. It was precisely with this thought in mind that we gathered for a two-day event under the Interreg Italy–Croatia BIOPRESSADRIA project, dedicated to the theme: “Management of Nautical Tourism Pressures on Key Coastal and Marine Habitats“.
The conference, organized by Sunce, brought together representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Croatia, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, Split-Dalmatia County, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, public institutions in the field of nature protection, the University of Split, the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Green Sail, and many others. Croatian and Italian project partners were also present, along with numerous nature protection experts.
The BIOPRESSADRIA project is focused on the protection of fragile yet highly valuable ecosystems: seagrass meadows and coastal dunes. Its priorities include monitoring pressures on these habitats, pilot actions to establish eco-mooring systems, cross-border cooperation, and public education.
– Concern for nature is growing, but today we also have more information than ever, which increases overall awareness. Without that knowledge, it is impossible to change behavior, – said Zrinka, Head of the Nature Conservation Department at Sunce, during the opening of the conference.
Below is an overview of the main topics, discussions, and recommendations.
And where do you anchor?
Nautical tourism in the Adriatic is constantly growing, and anchoring in Posidonia meadows poses the greatest pressure on this seagrass, and on the sea itself. Unfortunately, satellite monitoring by SEACRAS – a Croatian company that uses satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to track the current state of the marine environment – showed that a large number of vessels in the Adriatic anchor directly on Posidonia meadows. These meadows are natural underwater forests that produce oxygen, protect the coast, store carbon, and contribute to marine biodiversity.
Monitoring within the project showed that in the Pakleni Islands and Kornati National Park, daily averages in peak season exceeded 300 vessels, and anchor scars on the meadows clearly bear witness to the damage.
– In the last thirty years, around 30% of seagrass meadows have been lost! This is damage that nature can hardly recover from. – emphasized Matea Špika from Sunce.
The harmful impact of anchoring on Posidonia was also addressed by Andrea Rismondo (SELC Cooperative Company), who presented monitoring results showing how anchor chains destroy entire areas of Posidonia, leaving behind visible “scars.” These findings confirm that systematic monitoring is essential to understanding and reducing pressures.
One of the solutions is eco-moorings, special buoys that provide safe anchorage without damaging the seabed. However, their implementation requires integration into spatial plans and stronger cross-sectoral cooperation.
– The nature protection sector in Croatia recognizes the importance of Posidonia and includes an anchoring ban in its legal framework. However, the establishment of mooring fields and prohibition of free anchoring are primarily regulated through spatial planning and maritime affairs. Much stronger cross-sectoral cooperation is needed to achieve nature protection goals. – stressed Špika.
How did Split-Dalmatia County and the Balearics approach this?
Split-Dalmatia County has emerged as a pioneer in strategic planning of mooring fields in Croatia. As explained by Jelena Kurtović Mrčelić (Public Institution Sea and Karst), thanks to the county’s Anchorage Arrangement Plan of the Split-Dalmatia County, 69 mooring locations were identified for anchorage establishment, taking into account the natural characteristics of the area, navigation safety, and the needs of nautical tourism.
– The Adriatic is a recognized nautical destination in the Mediterranean, as evidenced by the fact that Croatia holds 40% of the world’s charter fleet. However, undercapacity in harbor master’s offices, maritime wardens, nature rangers, and maritime police, along with a lack of ports, marinas, and mooring fields, and boaters who don’t know how to handle their vessels, all lead to chaos at sea! We cannot leave everything to the boaters; we must plan strategically. That is why in 2016 we were the first in Croatia to launch the process of spatial planning for mooring fields in Split-Dalmatia County. It was not easy, but we succeeded. – said Kurtović Mrčelić, announcing that a handbook is currently being prepared so other counties can create their own plans.
The Balearic Islands in Spain, on the other hand, have been leaders in Posidonia protection for years. In fact, the discussions Croatia is having today, they had fifteen years ago!
They introduced a special law regulating anchoring, employed wardens, strengthened cooperation with the police, and made maps of seagrass distribution available in user-friendly applications, along with a helpline for seagrass protection. This line provides information on how to anchor properly in Balearic waters and allows anyone to report unregulated anchoring or other threats to seagrass. The results are impressive: the share of anchoring in seagrass has fallen from 17% in 2018 to just 6.8% in 2024, while the local community actively participates in protection.
– The law was passed in 2018 and really shook the community. Everyone protested, we were constantly in the media. But after four years of struggle, the success is evident, and today many want the law to be adopted in other Spanish regions as well! It is important not to see boaters as the problem. They can be part of the solution if we provide the right information and infrastructure. – emphasized Marcial Bardolet Richter from the Balearic Institute of Nature (IBANAT), who has long headed the Posidonia Seagrass Surveillance Service under the Balearic government and maintains constant direct communication with charter companies. As he explained with a smile, at first boaters did not even want to see him, but today there is mutual respect and pleasant cooperation.
An additional perspective on how Spain is tackling this issue was provided by David Álvarez García (Ecoacsa, Madrid). He presented the ARTEMIS project, funded under the Interreg Euro-MED program, which aims to integrate seagrass ecosystem services into business models.
– It is not just about finding funding and restoring seagrass, but about creating a way for the business sector to engage with this issue and invest in restoration. Restoring Posidonia can be crucial for mitigating climate change. – explained García, whose presence offered an excellent opportunity for networking.
Case studies: Pakleni Islands and Kornati National Park
In the Pakleni Islands and Kornati, pilot actions for the establishment of eco-moorings were carried out, along with satellite monitoring of vessel distribution. The results clearly show that the entire area is used for anchoring, although the pressure is highest in popular bays.
In Kornati National Park, 136 buoys have already been installed, but it proved essential to simultaneously inform boaters, as many did not know that buoys are free to use with a park entrance ticket.
– Here, the problem is not infrastructure, but boater behavior – or perhaps something else. Our estimates are that, with the existing and planned eco-moorings, the capacity in Kornati will be sufficient to accommodate all vessels, including those in transit – but only if available buoys and mooring fields are used, and if those anchoring freely are warned and redirected! – emphasized Zrinka.
These examples indicate that solutions exist, but their long-term sustainability depends on a combination of infrastructure, enforcement, and education.
Italian efforts for greater habitat protection
The Italian project partner MPA Porto Cesareo gave a presentation on coastal dunes – one of the most endangered coastal habitats. Speaker Remì Calasso emphasized the use of naturalistic engineering methods to stabilize dunes.
Another Italian contribution came from Alessandro Meggiato (CORILA), who spoke about understanding the ecological role of mooring fields in Panzano Bay through bioacoustic monitoring. Analyses show that buoys can play an important role in marine conservation:
– They contribute to the protection and preservation of seagrass meadows, can over time develop into trophic habitats attracting fish and other organisms, and help reduce boating pressure on surrounding sensitive areas. – said Alessandro.
Many questions remain unanswered
Although this two-day event confirmed that cross-border cooperation is key to protecting the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, several important open questions remain:
- How can the establishment of eco-moorings at the national level be accelerated?
- How can boaters, tourists, and local communities be better engaged in nature protection?
- How can data on the state of seagrass meadows and coastal dunes be made accessible and understandable to all?
- How can the experiences from the Balearics and other regions be translated into Croatian and Italian legislative frameworks?
We will seek answers to these questions through ongoing project activities: monitoring, education, pilot actions, and advocacy at the national level. Until then, we continue to protect nature as best we can because nature does not need us, but we need it.
