This summer, the Gulf of Cagliari has a new ally in the fight against ghost nets. The Fishing for the Planet project, already active for a few weeks, involves the collection of reports from athletes, lovers of water activities and more generally, ordinary citizens, who come across fishing nets entangled in the seabed during their explorations underwater.
The objective is clear: to invite everyone to protect and preserve the splendid waters of the Gulf of Cagliari.
The initiative of the amateur sports association Blue Life Scuola Apnea Sardegna, supported by the Sardinia Foundation and numerous institutional partners, including the Municipality of Cagliari and the metropolitan city, the Municipality of Quartu Sant'Elena and the Sardinia Region, with the collaboration of the Coast Guard of Cagliari, will take place throughout the summer, until 30 September 2024.
The project enjoys full support from the Municipality of Cagliari, as it is in line with the mission of the new municipal administration. Councilor Luisa Giua Marassi underlines how the marine ecosystem represents one of the most crucial environmental and strategic resources for the city. «Only through sustainable management of our sea can we think of benefiting and also providing economic opportunities for our territory and for future generations».
«Respecting and keeping the sea clean is the only way to be able to enjoy it in the future. These networks are a threat", explains Simone Mingoia, coordinator of the initiative and president of the Asd Blue Life Scuola Apnea Sardegna. On the online page bluelifeexperience.com/fishing-for-the-Planet there is an active form in which it is necessary to enter some fundamental data such as GPS coordinates and some photos or videos. Thanks to this information, a map of the Gulf of Cagliari is starting to be populated with sightings of ghost nets, which will then be verified by the Blue Life team and subsequently removed with a specialized technical team."
The "ghost net spotters" will be honored with gadgets offered by the sponsors and a recognition from the association.