RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS

Waters between the islands of Ischia represent an extraordinary opportunity to the study of wild cetaceans, as, beginning with the year 1991, the presence of seven different species in the Mediterranean sea has been recorded: striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), short beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), and long finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) are all hosted by of our sea.
From 1997 research focused on the canyon of Cuma, a deep underwater valley located at north of Ischia and then rediscovered as a feeding ground for fin whales and a breeding one for all the species of Odontocetes sighted in the area.The strong impact of the boats on cetaceans is becoming an everyday routine especially in summertime: distress and disorientation, collisions and deaths by a propeller strike. Notwithstanding the EU band on the driftnetting fishery, started on January 1st, 2002, illegal fishing with driftnets is still a problem around the Island of Ischia and by catch events were recorded for several species.Timely management measures to protect cetaceans in this key area are clearly needed. Primary concentration is of a relic population unit of endangered short-beaked common dolphins; the study, in collaboration with Tethys, ASMS, and OceanoMare is focused to the conservation of dolphins' coastal habitat through the creation of a cetacean reserve within the future Marine Protected Area of Ischia, Procida and Vivara Islands. In our opinion the basis of every research is respect for the animals.