Since 2014, every July 8th is celebrated as the International Day dedicated to the Mediterranean Sea, to raise awareness among communities about its health, the dangers it faces due to pollution and fishing, and the strategies that can be implemented to preserve and protect its richness. Despite covering only 1% of the Earth’s ocean surface, the Mediterranean is a surprisingly vital sea that hosts about 7% of the world’s marine fauna, with a significant number of endemic species, around 30%. This same sea, which nourished the ancient civilizations of Southern Europe and North Africa, is also at the center of unprecedented transformations. Population growth and ongoing climate changes are substantially altering the Mediterranean, affecting coastal ecosystems, the marine species that inhabit it, and those that end up on our tables. Unfortunately, only 9% of the Mediterranean is included in protected areas, and a much smaller percentage is effectively safeguarded. Focusing on conservation and protection activities is therefore essential, as various projects remind us, which aim to mitigate the damage from these alterations, gather new data on biodiversity, and raise awareness about good practices for coastal management, such as the four projects active in Italy, including Triton, which focuses on the conservation of some of the most emblematic Mediterranean species and the coastal areas that can contribute to protecting them.
Source: Corriere della sera