Acronym SHARKLIFE
Category
Fisheries
Title Urgent actions for the conservation of cartilaginous fish in Italy Programme LIFE
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source European Coordinator Stefano DI MARCO Coordinator email sdimarco@cts.it
Coordinator institution
CTS - Student and Youth Travel Centre (Italy)
Institutions involved
NA - Cetacean Foundation onlus (Italy) ,
CIBM - Consorzio per il Centro Interuniversitario di Biologia Marina ed Ecologia Applicata (Italy) ,
FIPSAS - Federazione Italiana Pesca Sportiva e Attività Subacquee (Italy) ,
AGCI Agrital - General Association of Italian Cooperatives; Association of the Agri-Food and Fishery sector (Italy) ,
NA - Maddalena Archipelago National Park (Italy) ,
NA - Marine Protected Area Pelagie Islands (Italy) ,
Start year 2011 End year 2015 Funding (€) € 1,337,640 Website https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=4078 Summary The IUCN 'Red List 2007 Assessment of the conservation status of cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyans) in the Mediterranean' listed the status of a number of rays and sharks as endangered. The study shows that although the Mediterranean is a semi-enclosed sea, it hosts a diverse range of chondrichthyans - an estimated 80 species, comprising 45 species of sharks. At the heart of the Mediterranean region, Italy hosts 43 species of shark. The IUCN study found that the region has the highest percentage of threatened sharks and rays in the world. Around 42% of the 71 species evaluated are included on the Red List of endangered species (under the categories 'Critically Threatened', 'Endangered' or 'Vulnerable'). The main threat to their survival is fishing, both commercial and leisure, in several bordering countries and in Italian seas in particular. In line with the European Plan of Action for Cartilaginous Fishes, which was approved in 2009, this project aims to contribute to the conservation of cartilaginous fishes, particularly basking sharks and pelagic stingrays, in Italian seas by reducing the mortality rate caused by commercial and leisure fishing. The project will promote the use of low-impact fishing devices for pelagic stingrays (circle hooks), develop a system to reduce accidental capture of basking sharks, implement a 'tag and release' policy for fishing tournaments, and carry out tailored training for fishermen, veterinarians and coast guard personnel who oversee controls on fishing.
Sharklife's main aim is to contribute to preserving cartilagineous fish, with particular attention to the basking sharks and the pelagic stingray. Thanks to all the actions planned, the following results will be achieved: (1) 80% reduction of captures of the pelagic stingray (Pteroplatytrygon violacea), through the use of circular hooks during swordfish fishing. The pelagic stingray is a pelagic species that lives at a great distance from the coastline. Even if it doesn't have great commercial value, this species is often fished with surface longliners. Using circle hooks, which are very bent hooks the pelagic stingray doesn't usually remain caught in because of its mouth's position; (2) 100% reduction of elasmobranch captures during national sport fishing competitions, through the adoption of the "Tag and Release" system. This system consists in applying a tag to the captured animals and releasing them unharmed. The tag bears registered data such as date, time and place of capture. In this way, a database on the different species present in the Mediterranean Sea can be created. Afterwards, if fishermen were to capture a tagged animal, other data could be added, so as to enable scientists to understand growth rate, migrations, etc.; (3) Adoption by the interested authorities of a specific Action Plan for the conservation of elasmobranch species. At present, Italy does not have an Action Plan for the conservation of wild species, although over the years the government has approved a series of specific action plans for some species. Sharklife, following the recommendations of the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (IPOA-SHARKS) developed by the FAO, intends to produce and adopt an Action Plan for the conservation of sharks and stingrays; (4) Development of an innovative system for the reduction of accidental captures of the basking shark and other large marine protected species. The problem of the accidental captures could be therefore solved, or at least reduced, through the designing and creating of such a special device; (5) More cooperation between fisherman and local communities on policies for the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources. Fishermen, both sports and professional ones, are vital for the success of the project and the carrying out of many actions, and therefore their involvement and their cooperation are essential for Sharklife; (6) Increasing public's awareness on biodiversity and conservation of sharks and stingrays. Although the project considers all sharks, particular attention will be given to the following species: basking shark, pelagic stingray, blue shark, common thresher shark, and spiny dogfish.
Keywords
Bycatch;
Sharks;
Ray;
Fishing technology;
Environmental impact;
Longline systems;
Gear technology;
Fish;
Marine Region
74
Northern Adriatic (GSA 17)
71
South of Sicily (GSA 16)
47
Ligurian and North Tyrrhenian Sea (GSA 9)
3
Marine Region Map
