Scientists Map Italy’s Entire Coast to Support Seagrass and Marine Recovery
In the coastal waters near Naples, marine life is returning after a long absence. Shoals of bream, wrasses, crustaceans, mollusks, and bryozoans are reappearing in the Gaiola Submerged Park Marine Protected Area.
“This MPA has turned into a significant repopulation zone for the surrounding coast of Posillipo,” said Maurizio Simeone, a marine biologist and the park’s director. “The fishermen themselves tell us this.”
Further west, in the La Maddalena archipelago off northern Sardinia, conditions contrast sharply. Tour operators have noticed the once-clear waters becoming murkier, while seahorses and other emblematic species are now rare.
The disparity between these regions centers on one key ecosystem: the Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. At Gaiola, years of protection and restoration efforts have revived these underwater meadows. In contrast, La Maddalena’s seagrass has been severely damaged by uncontrolled boat anchoring.
Now, researchers are enforcing anchoring restrictions and initiating seagrass replanting programs to recover these fragile habitats across Italy’s coasts.
Author’s Summary
Italian researchers are mapping coastal ecosystems to restore seagrass meadows vital for marine biodiversity and to curb the damage from human activity.