Overview
Status: complete
Categorization: habitat and biodiversity
Country: Italy
Period: /
Contact info
Name: Francesca Frau
Organization: MEDSEA
Email: francescafrau@medseafoundation.org
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Summary
Summary description: The definition of participatory processes involving marine environmental resources often gives priority to the involvement of stakeholders of the productive sector - such as fishermen, tour operators or particular groups such as environmental associations, of yachtsmen or sport fishermen. However, in the path for the definition of the MoU of the Contract of the Marine Protected Area of the AMP del Sinis, it was decided to give centrality to young people, a cross category that contains many profiles of people (students and professionals) which are the main actors in today’s choices and future development scenarios of the MPA.
Type: strategy, other
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EU Principles: (i) taking a holistic and integrated approach (economic, social and environmental aspects), (ii) planning for the long term, (iii) involving stakeholders
Reason of interest for COASTING: TUNE-UP gives a specific role and place to a category, composed by young people, that often does not get involved in the processes of planning and comanagement in a MPA.
Financial information
: 0.00 €
Financial sources: TBD
Background information
Territorial context: The Penisola del Sinis area is characterized by a high level of biodiversity. Seabottoms are distinguished by different substrate typologies: basaltic necks in the area of the Catalano rock, granitic rock in the Mal di Ventre island, carbonatic caves in the promontory of Seu, limestone beds along the Sinis coast. The Posidonia oceanica meadows are the dominant habitat type in the MPA but often precoralligenous and coralligenous habitas alternate, especially in the deeper parts. Rocky bottoms are colonized by bryozoans (e.g. Myriapora truncata) and incrustant sponges, facies of Cladocora caespitosa and Cnidaria as Eunicella singularis, Astroides calycularis and Alcyonium acaule. In deep sites and caves, it is possible to observe populations of Corallium rubrum and colonies of the black coral Savalia savaglia. Sinis MPA hosts a rich fish assemblage which includes protected species like Epinephelus marginatus and Sciaena umbra. The coastline is characterized by different types: organogenus and quarz sand beaches, limestone, basaltic and granitic rocks and cliffs.
Relation to policies and strategies: The MPA Contract of the MPA “Penisola del Sinis – Isola di Mal di Ventre” is consistent with the local regulatory and legal framework that regulates the management and activities of the MPA, with specific regard to the Discipline Regulation (adopted on the 11th July 2011 by the Ministry of the Environment, n. 188) and an Implementation and Organization Regulation (adopted on the 28th April 2017 by the Ministry of the Environment, n. 113), governing the activities allowed within MPA and the “Penisola del Sinis – Isola di Mal di Ventre” MPA ISEA plan (given the lack of a formal management plan). Through the commitment of the Youth Council, the MPA Contract will foster the sustainable management and development of the MPA, to ensure greater coordination and consensus building between various stakeholders involved in management and to limit conflicts between preservation issues and economic activities in wetlands, with the strategic support of those who represent one of the main subjects..
Regulation framework: x
Specific information
Objectives: The objectives to be pursued by the MPA Contract include: improving environmental quality; increasing scientific knowledge of the natural heritage; increasing public awareness about the environmental value; improving protection of the most vulnerable beaches; enhance tourist experience in terms of environmental, social andeconomic sustainability; increasing control on overfishing practices and promoting sustainable fishing techniques; supporting employment opportunities linked to the sustainable useof the area; encouraging higher integration between public institutions, technicians and citizens.
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Innovation aspects: It represents an innovative experience of involving a category of individuals with a formal consultancy role recognised by the Municipality but without a specific interest that usually characterises a group of operators or an association.
Actions: Under the MoU (art. 2), signatories committed to identify and take action to find the necessary financial resources and to cover the technical and organisational costs related to the implementation of the following phases: drafting a preliminary context analysis; defining of a strategic scenario covering a medium/long-term planning/programming horizon; identifying an action programme with short-term feasibility and a monitoring programme to monitor its implementation over time; Signing of the Protected Marine Area Contract.
Stakeholders involvement: MEDSEA held three territorial labs on March, 2021 (online via Skype and Zoom platform and in presence at the headquarters of the MPA in Cabras), applying the Metaplan moderation method”. Territorial labs included the members of the Youth Municipal Council of Cabras, and the representatives of the management body of the MPA. They have been conducted in order to, at first, identify strengths and weaknesses of the MPA area, secondly, identify priorities and expected results, and finally select the main objectives and activities to be included in the MoU.
Results achieved: After its approval by the administrative and political bodies of the signatories, the MoU has been signed during the II Local Conference held in Cabras the 29th of June.
Potential for learning and transfer
Challenges and obstacles: The main challenge was to capture the interest of a group of stakeholders usually not accustomed to take part in participatory processes.
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Transferability in COASTING project: The result achieved is completely transferable in any geographical and organizational context, even outside of a MPA, as it allows the involvement of the youth component of a territory whether or not having a specific economic interest.