High-definition underwater drones, technical precision binoculars, fishing clothing made of sustainable material for working in safety and comfort; the Good Practices competition prizes at marine sites were immediately put to use and become, themselves, vehicles for spreading the message of the LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 project

In May 2024, Federparchi awarded three experiences of excellence in sustainability in marine sites, one in small-scale fishing, one in sustainable tourism and one in environmental education activities in marine sites. The award ceremony took place in the context of the “Good practices for N2000 marine sites” competition, an activity that is part of the Citizen Science actions of the LIFE A-MAR NATURA2000 project (LIFE20 GIE/IT/001352) aimed to enhance  ‘Good Practices’ that promote sustainable management of fisheries resources, sustainable tourism and environmental education within Natura 2000 sites.

For the ‘sustainable fishing’ category, the prize was awarded to the Cooperative ‘vivere il mare’ of Porto Cesareo (Le). For activities of sustainable tourism the first prize went to the ‘Pesca Pontillo’ Cooperative of Scilla (Rc), and finally for ‘environmental education’ the prize went to ‘Ischia Savage’ of Migliaccio Alessandro, Forio d’ischia (Na).

The prizes were awarded and handed out. And then?  According to the three italian firms these tools soon became useful aids to improve their respective activities and recall the exciting experience of the LIFE A-MAR project.

“Vivere il mare” workers didn’t  wait a minute to wear the complete set of technical work and safety clothing, made from recyclable materials and suitable for the artisanal fishing system practised by the them. The set includes professional life jackets, professional oilskins, work boots, and work gloves. Members of the “Vivere in mare” crews sent us photos from the boat, while they were at work in their daily activity of sustainable artisanal fishing that respects ecosystem balances.

“Pesca Pontillo”  immediately provided its customers with six technical precision binoculars, specifically designed to watch avifauna and cetaceans in the marine environment and coastal ecosystems. Binoculars were valuable instruments for fishing-tourism and much appreciated especially by young people, who were able to learn about the Life A-Mar project during boat trips and better understand the beauty and importance of protecting the marine sites of the NATURA2000 Network.

Finally, “Ischia Savage” is already preparing its new environmental education activities thanks to the underwater drone equipped with a transmission cable and external monitor for viewing marine ecosystems from the boat. An instrument capable of transmitting high-definition images even at depth, capable of bringing back and experiencing underwater wonders. Three simple prizes, but they are an important contribution to the dissemination of knowledge concerning  the marine sites of the NATURA2000 Network and the LIFE A-MAR project.

The participatory approach of the competition, which will see its second edition in February 2025, not only encourages the sharing of knowledge and skills (from the project to the NATURA2000 network system), but also stimulates greater awareness of the importance of the marine ecosystem and the role everyone can play in its protection. In short, the competition represents a unique opportunity to consolidate a network of collaborations and concrete actions that are essential to ensure a sustainable future for the sea and its resources.