PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
In the Mediterranean Sea, elasmobranch fish species, which include sharks, rays, skates and sawfish, face 3 main environmental problems: by-catch from fisheries, pressure from invasive species and tourism. Red List elasmobranch species in the Mediterranean that are highly threatened by fisheries include Rostroraja alba, Raja radula, Isurus oxyrinchus, Prionace glauca, Carcharhinus plumbeus, Gymnura altavela, Aetomylaeus bovinus and Glaucostegus cemiculus. Of these, 4 are critically endangered, 2 are endangered according to the EU Red List and 1 species is critically endangered at the Mediterranean level.
In addition to the Habitat Directive and Biodiversity Strategy, elasmobranch conservation is part of the EU environmental agenda, being a key point in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE-PROMETHEUS project is a transnational marine project involving Italy, Spain, France, Cyprus and Greece. It aims to halt the decline of 8 highly threatened Red List elasmobranch species found in the Mediterranean Sea.
The project aims to improve the conservation status of these elasmobranchs by reducing their bycatch, promoting alternative sustainable fisheries and ecotourism activities. This will be achieved by carrying out pilot and demonstration actions in 12 Mediterranean areas that represent biodiversity hotspots or essential fish habitats for some phases of the species’ life history (i.e. spawning, foraging, etc.), spanning across the whole Mediterranean basin from the Balearic Islands in the west to Cyprus in the east.
The specific objectives of the project are:
- Reducing the threat of by-catch by using electro-magnetic deterrents and alternative fishing practices, setting-up protocols for the use of such mitigation measures, and contributing to the identification of Essential Fish Habitats for endangered (EN) and critically endangered (CR) species (i.e. spawning areas, foraging areas) and collaborating with competent authorities for the definition of management measures (i.e. extension of existing marine protected areas, MPAs). While at the same time changing fishers’ behaviour to use the deterrents and be directly involved in species conservation and provide advice on financial incentives to be involved.
- Promoting sustainable fisheries in specific areas/periods critical for selected elasmobranch species, supporting the shift to invasive alien species (IAS) as an alternative to elasmobranch fishery by promoting the use of traps/pots and stimulating market growth through the widespread distribution of culinary recipes and establishment partnerships focused on serving IAS.
- Controlling the threat posed by recreational SCUBA divers by promoting sustainable/regulated diving tourism in elasmobranch aggregation sites and defining a Code of Conduct that diving tourists must adopt to visit elasmobranchs’ aggregation sites avoiding impacts on elasmobranchs’ life stages.
The project will also indirectly benefit 7 other critically endangered species that are not the main focus of the project, as they are also encountered in the project areas. The whole community of elasmobranchs living in the Mediterranean Sea are expected to indirectly benefit from the application of the results of this project.
RESULTS
The expected results of the LIFE-PROMETHEUS project are:
- Reduction of elasmobranch by-catch by at least 30% in the target areas by:
- Deployment of deterrents and other mitigation measures to adapt fishing gear to reduce by catch by 30,000 specimens by the end of the project.
- Active involvement of at least 55 fishing vessels and approximately 800 fishers, using the deterrent devices on a variety of different fishing gears (400 professional and 400 recreational fishers).
- 25% of those approximately 800 fishers (e.g. 200) involved and trained, expected to change their behaviour towards the use of mitigation gears in the 5 countries.
- At least 30 restaurateurs and food industries expected to choose shark-free products.
- Local reduction of IAS by 10% by the end of the project by targeting IAS to replace elasmobranchs as a food source, by:
- Promotion of the use of 3 invasive species by local restaurateurs resulting in a 10% reduction (of elasmobranch by-catch) in the target areas.
- 30 restaurateurs/fish shops will have IAS on their menu or sell them.
- Ecolabel adopted by at least 3 fish markets/shops per country (15 in total).
- Increase of approximately 50% of sharks and rays at aggregation sites due to adoption of sustainable diving practices, by:
- Promotion of ecotourism practices and sustainable business, especially contributing to the development of blue tourism. Approximately 800 divers and at least 10 diving centres will be involved, and are expected to sign the Code of Conduct for sustainable shark and ray watching activities.
- Updating of management plans and regulations of two MPAs (Egadi and Pelagie Islands) according to elasmobranch aggregations and hotspots, increasing the areas under strict protection.
- Promotion of the use of “Shark-Free” fishing products through the up-scale of an ecolabel to be promoted in 5 countries, reaching at least 5,000 consumers.
- Enhancement of social awareness and societal approval of elasmobranch conservation, reaching approximately 40,000 people through the planned dissemination and communication activities.
- Direct contact with at least 8,000 stakeholders, thanks to targeted communication.
- Development of guidelines for implementing economically and ecologically sustainable practices for conservation and application of mitigation measures by at least 3 competent authorities.
- Networking with at least 15 EU funded projects.
- Integration of the collected information into the Mediterranean Large Elasmobranchs Monitoring (MEDLEM) website database.
- Integration of the LIFE-PROMETHEUS approach in relevant MSFD and CFP policies, and draft of a blueprint of an integrated project for European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) funding for purchase of deterrents in Italy.