On the southern Tuscan coast, in Talamone (Italy), a fisherman put in place a strategy to protect local marine ecosystems.
In 2006, while the fisher’s site became protected, poachers continued their illegal pratice named by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) the “Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing”. This behaviour had, and continues to have a disastrous impact on marine biodiversity and seabed. Techniques used by these poachers, like dynamite, cyanide or more commonly trawling (the use of huge and heavy nets), degrades underwater habitats, water quality and contributes to species extinction.
For example, trawlers using these nets, scratch and tear ecosystems of the seabed (corals, seaweed, shellfish and sediments) and catch all species in its path, even protected ones. Species caught as by-catch include : turtles, dolphins or protected sharks, often already dead once put back into the sea.
So Paolo Fanciulli, who has always lived here, decided to develop a solution against illegal fishing. As an aside, Paolo is known for having impersonated a guard on the coast, in order to scare away IUU trawlers. This time, his solution was more pacified, and used art to protect water ecosystems. Since 2006, helped by administrations, locals and the firm GIANNI CIPRIANO (marble quarry), Paolo, known as “the fisherman”, placed into the sea blocks of marble of 10 tonnes each. Aiming to submerge a hundred blocks, the bay currently contains 49, placed between 10 and 40 meters deep. Named The House of Fish, it did not take a long time for nature to reclaim its rights, and contributed to discourage illegal trawlers. "There's a significant repopulation in the area of the boulders. Their presence recreates currents that attract small fish, and the small fish attract the large ones," reports Gia Consales, a biologist.
This device has a real impact on marine conservation, notably against bottom trawling. Towed nets placed close to the seabed would catch the stones, and totally stop the boats (because this technique needs one or two trawlers to be used). So, in addition to conserving the site, it also allows the growth of species on the seabed (like corals, seapens) which are weak or need a long time to be settled. The risk associated with bottom trawling for these species is that they will probably not be able to recover quickly enough to survive and will eventually disappearand end by becoming exctinct.
Today, when the fisherman drags his nets, he finds cuttlefish, red mullet, … Things were impossible 10 years ago because of clandestine fishing boats. A real underwater museum which could develop snorkelling tourism, but also education about marine biodiversity, dangers caused by IUU fishing and ways to act in favor of the environment.
Sources and credits :
Definition of the overfishing : https://www.msc.org/uk/what-we-are-doing/what-is-overfishing
Definition of the bottom trawling : https://www.msc.org/uk/fishing-methods-and-gear-types/demersal-or-bottom-trawls
About the project :
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/24/world/europe/italy-tuscany-fishing-art.html
https://www.invacanzaallargentario.it/en/the-house-of-the-fish-of-talamone/
https://www.giannicipriano.com/commissioned/an-underwater-museum-to-protect-tuscan-fish
French tv report : https://www.franceinfo.fr/environnement/en-toscane-des-sculptures-en-marbres-immergees-pour-lutter-contre-la-peche-intensive_7891370.html
Head Picture : © GIANNI CIPRIANO
Picture 1 : © Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Picture 2/6/8 : © GIANNI CIPRIANO
Picture 3/4/5 : © Simone's Blog
Picture 7/9 : © Francesco Fontana Giusti's Blog