Too many people in the park's waters, behavior that fails to comply with the rules, and a sanctions system that, according to the park's leaders, is no longer adequate to protect an area subjected to increasing pressure every summer.
The issue was addressed by the director of the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park, Yuri Donno , and its president , Rosanna Giudice , who spoke on the organization's official social media page. Donno recalled the discussions initiated with other marine protected areas, monitoring bodies, and competent authorities, emphasizing the need to address the framework law on Protected Areas, No. 394 of 1991, including through increased sanctions.
The director also recalled a letter sent to the Ministry and law enforcement agencies outlining the difficulties encountered in monitoring and managing the area. He also requested and hoped for the possibility of establishing a dedicated supervisory body with the power to impose sanctions.
The president's message was even clearer. "We must stop entering the park as if we were entering Gardaland," Giudice said, announcing the organization's intention to launch "a strong operation" to combat abuses and violations.
The issue of fines remains at the core. Law 394 provides for a system of penalties, but the president believes there is currently a "legislative vacuum" that prevents the Park from independently increasing the amounts. "The Park cannot suddenly raise the fines," she clarified.
A possible breakthrough could come from a revision of the framework law, currently undergoing a reorganization that could also affect the sanctions system. The judge finally issued a warning regarding compliance with environmental protection obligations: "Be careful not to wake a sleeping dog, because the day Europe wakes up, I believe it will wake up, let's all go and 'contemplate' the La Maddalena archipelago, which means that the restrictions will be enforced."
