In the past summer, those who bathed in the Sardinian sea found the water almost as warm as in the Caribbean: certainly pleasant for those who immerse themselves in the sea, but a bad sign for the climate. The increase in heat causes damage, puts the environment at risk, generates drought and increasingly violent weather phenomena while the sea "eats" the beaches. What is the state of health of our sea and how can we protect ourselves from climatic disasters? We asked Alessio Satta , president of Medsea , the Foundation that deals with the protection and sustainable management of marine and coastal resources in the Mediterranean with a series of concrete initiatives in Sardinia.
Last summer the thermometer showed red, what happened in our sea?
«Let's say right away that there were peaks of 30 degrees in the Sardinian sea and we even measured 24 at a depth of twenty meters. We have to talk about marine heat waves, a phenomenon linked to climate change. The sea warms up because the air temperature rises».
And the heat buildup causes damage. What are the main ones?
“There are two kinds of problems. The first is related to marine life. Think of the impact on all aquaculture activities in the Gulf of Oristano and Olbia. All the managers of the mussel farms were afraid for their farms».
That is, mussel farming was in danger due to the heat?
«If you pass me the term, in simple terms, there was the risk that these farms would 'fry' and in that case there would have been damages for several million euros. Fortunately, it only happened partially and it wasn't a catastrophe."
We hope that the phenomenon will not occur again next summer.
«I would like to be optimistic but it is unlikely that the temperature will tend to drop».
You mentioned a second problem, what is it?
«The alien species arrived from the Red Sea and find here the tropical conditions for reproduction; they arrive via fishing boats or cargo boats. Now, there's a case plaguing the coast of Lebanon: the dreaded lionfish. It is not present here but, if we consider that the Mediterranean is a closed sea, it could arrive».
