Summary of Site Visits to Some of Italy's Marine Protected Areas: Porto Cesareo

Porto Cesareo

On the west coast of Puglia, on the western side of the “heel” of the boot of Italy, is the Ionian (Jonio) Sea. Porto Cesareo, an old historic port town on the Jonio Sea, is the name given to the third largest marine protected area. It protects 64 square miles, 20 miles of coastline, and 20% of the area is zoned either Zone A or Zone B (click here for more information about Italian zoning of protected areas).

Map of Porto Cesareo marine protected area.

Like other marine protected areas in Italy, the management of Porto Cesareo is handled by local communities, in this case, the cities of Porto Cesareo and Nardo, and the province (in California, like a county) of Lecce. As has happened with other Italian marine protected areas, changes in the political power within a local community can lead to changes in the leadership of the marine protected area. Presently, there is no director for the Porto Cesareo marine protected area and as such it is difficult to make a visit and to get information about programs of the marine protected area.

However, like several other marine protected areas in Italy, Porto Cesareo is fortunate to have regional scientists who are focusing a good deal of research on the protected area. For instance, Dr. Simonetta Fraschetti and students from the laboratory of Dr. Nando Boero at the University of Lecce have developed a benthic habitat map of Porto Cesareo. The map is extremely accurate for nearshore waters as a team dove and snorkeled to the bottom to identify benthic substrate and then relay that to colleagues in a boat on the surface. The lab now uses the data via GIS data layers to help guide future research.

Exhibit on fishing seasons in and around Porto Cesareo marine protected area.

Dr. Boero has also helped create a marine museum as part of the marine biology station in Porto Cesareo, run by the University of Lecce, that distributes information about the protected area, coastal stewardship, and sustainable fishing practices and fisheries. This center effectively serves as the region’s education center while the management of the marine protected area is being re-established.

The coast along Porto Cesareo marine protected area has many wide, long sandy beaches, like most in Puglia, open to the public. Millions of people travel to beaches in the summer, affording both a resource management challenge as well as an education opportunity.

Exhibit at University of Lecce’s marine museum, near Porto Cesareo marine protected area.

For more information about Porto Cesareo marine protected area, go to: http://www.comune.portocesareo.le.it/parcomarino/index.htm

For a website for the University of Lecce’s marine biology station and museum, go to: http://www.comune.portocesareo.le.it/museo/index.htm