New collaborations in the Gulf of Naples

We are glad to announce a new collaboration between Oceanomare Delphis and the Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area.

As part of the project Life Delphi and to limit the interaction between dolphins and fishermen, our association will make available data on the local bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population in the Gulf of Naples. To study the problem of bycatch, it is indeed necessary to have parallel data on the distribution and abundance of the population impacted by fishing gear.

In the Mediterranean, it is the bottlenose dolphin, due to its opportunistic feeding habits and coastal distribution, that interferes most with fishing activities. The species is protected by the Bern, Barcelona, and Washington Conventions, the EU Habitats Directive, and Italian Law No. 157/'92, and is classified as "vulnerable" in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List.

In addition to scientific objectives, the collaboration aims to spread knowledge of the cetacean species present in the Gulf of Naples through education and citizen-science actions.