Cetacei Fai Attenzione

On the occasion of the “FAI – Fondo Ambiente Italiano” census of Italy’s Luoghi del Cuore (“Places of the Heart”), the Pelagos Sanctuary received significant public support. This allowed the Tethys Research Institute to submit a project aimed at promoting awareness and enhancing the value of the area.

The project was developed with three main objectives:

• to inform recreational boaters and other sea users about the presence of cetaceans in Italian waters and the existence of the Pelagos Sanctuary, providing them with tools to identify different species;
• to reduce disturbance to cetaceans caused by improper vessel behaviour during encounters at sea, by promoting adherence to the code of conduct recommended by ACCOBAMS (the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area) and adopted by the Pelagos Sanctuary Agreement;
• to involve sea users in a citizen science initiative designed to gather valuable data on cetacean presence, supporting both scientific research and conservation efforts.

To achieve these three goals, the following actions were carried out:

Awareness Campaign

In order to reach different types of sea users, several outreach tools were developed:

• an informational poster in two different editions: in 2018 and 2019, 1,200 and 1,000 copies were printed, respectively. The content included species identification tips and guidelines for appropriate behavior during cetacean encounters.
• In 2019, the Boater’s Guide was introduced — a handy, foldable leaflet designed to be kept on board. It provides information on how to recognize different species, approach rules, how to photograph the animals, what to do in an emergency, and how to report sightings. A total of 30,000 copies of the guide were printed and distributed in Italy.
• The website (cetaceifaiattenzione.it) was specifically created for the project; it offers information, photographs, illustrations, interesting facts about cetaceans, and intuitive tools to help users identify different species.

Disturbance Mitigation Campaign

To minimize the disturbance caused to cetaceans by recreational boaters, fishermen, or other sea users during sightings, a dedicated section on appropriate behavior during marine encounters was included in the posters, the Boater’s Guide, and the website.

Citizen Science Campaign

The project aimed to engage various sea users in a citizen science initiative that actively contributes to the research and conservation of Mediterranean cetaceans through the reporting of sightings, while respecting the recommended code of conduct.

Through the CFA website, users can (even after the conclusion of the project) submit data such as date, time, location, number of animals, presence of calves, as well as photographs or short videos. These data help researchers validate the identification of species — and, in some cases, individual animals.

Among the various species, particular attention was given to the Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus), which has all but disappeared from the western Italian portion of the Sanctuary in recent years.