The North Adriatic case study has focused on evaluating how  MSFD, WFD, and MSPD  contribute to the European Green Deal (EGD) biodiversity targets and whether sectoral policies, such as those governing fisheries and aquaculture, adequately consider biodiversity protection goals.

The case study covers the Italian Northern Adriatic, from Friuli Venezia Giulia to Veneto and Emilia Romagna, including marine areas between the Italian coastline and the continental shelf boundary set with Slovenia and Croatia. It extends to land, incorporating major river watersheds like the Po, Adige, and Isonzo.

Geographic scope of the Italian Northern Adriatic case study
Role of framework directives
Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (MSPD) for the Adriatic fishing sector
MSFD
Fishing related goals
National Marine Strategy
Reducing the exploitation rate of species exploited by commercial fishing
Reducing the impact of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
Increasing regulations (e.g. on recreational fishing and minimum landing size) and sea-floor integrity (e.g. aimed at rotecting from physical disturbance at least 10% of the area related to substrates currently exploited by fishing activities that interact with the seabed actively; ensuring that fishing activities do not take place on biogenic substrates ensuring that vessels operating with fishing gear that interacts with seabed are traceable).
WFD
Given its nature and geographic scope, the WFD is less directly tied to fisheries and aquaculture at sea compared to MSFD and MSPD, as the sustainability of these sectors is not among its explicit objectives.
However, achieving good water status of surface, underground and coastal waters is among the main WFD objectives and indirectly affects the biodiversity of marine areas and the economic activities based on their resources’ exploitation.
Under Legislative Decree 152/2006, Regions, in agreement with MASAF (Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forests), designate “waters for the life of molluscs and fish”.
Decree 152/2006
These bodies of (inland, transitional and coastal) water are identified in the so-called Register of Protected Areas in the Water Basin Management Plans as "protected areas for molluscs or fish farming" and designated as "areas for the protection of economically significant aquatic species".
MSPD
Some of the measures of the Adriatic plan include:
Promoting agreements between small-scale fisheries operators and entities responsible of protected areas to improve the co-management of MPAs and Natura 2000 sites
Generating positive effects for small-scale fisheries activities in synergy with natural protection objectives (in line with EU Biodiversity Strategy objective of 30% protection).
Activating an integrated evaluation of knowledge on Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) of the main species, in order to identify areas to prioritise for protection through spatial and resources' management measures (e.g. Fisheries Restricted Areas, FRAs)
Portal for MSPD plan
The fisheries and aquaculture sectoral policies are composed of various multi-level governance mechanisms
International level: GFCM
Provides recommendations on the geographical subareas (GSAs) 17 and 18 of the Adriatic Sea. These recommendations are particularly relevant for the management of small pelagic fisheries and demersal fishing activities. At the EU level, these are partially integrated into yearly Council Regulations fixing the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks.
GFCM - Adriatic Sea
EU level: Council Regulation setting fishing opportunities
The fishing opportunities, or total annual catches, represent the total amount of fish which can be caught for each fish stock per year. This amount is divided in national quotas for each member state.
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National institutions: MASAF and MASE
The governance of the environmental and fisheries policies streams is divided between Italy’s Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF).
National level: Operational Program under the EMFAF
The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund | OP EMFAF (2021-2027) constitutes one of the main implementing instruments, providing coordination among sectoral policies and the Directives
EMFAF
National level: National Triennial Program for Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022-2024
Indirectly supports biodiversity goals, primarily through the CFP’s objectives to achieve Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), reduce fleet capacity, and control IUU fishing
National level: Technical Guide for the Allocation of marine areas for Aquaculture
Designed by ISPRA in 2020, it has been developed in accordance with the EU objectives for environmental protection of the WFD and the MSFD for Good Environmental Status and the biodiversity conservation objectives of the Habitats and Birds Directives.
Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZA)
Regional level: North Adriatic Fishing District
Established by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF) in 2010 (DM 23/02/2010), to promote a partnership with producers and businesses of the fisheries sector and propose actions for fisheries management (plans and interventions), identified and shared between the Ministry and the three North Adriatic regions (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Emilia Romagna).
Decree
Regional level: Socio-Economic Observatory of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Plays an important role in terms of collecting and analysing socio-economic data on fishing and aquaculture in the northern Adriatic Sea
Local level: Consortia for the management fishing resources
Including consortia for the management of bivalves, which can regulate their activities locally (e.g. by adopting more restrictive measures than the limits imposed by national and EU regulations) , and CO.VE.P.A. (Consorzio Veneto Pesca Artigianale), a consortium of fishers in the Veneto region, aiming to preserve, enhance, and promote small-scale artisanal fishing.
CO.VE.P.A.
Local level: FLAGs
The four FLAGs (Fisheries Local Action Groups) in the region, funded by EMFAF, play a key role in supporting the improvement of the sustainable management of the sector. Their initiatives include collaboration with research institutes and NGOs on biodiversity projects (such as 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢 protection; e.g., the TARTATUR Project, promotion of the use of selective fishing gear, bycatch monitoring, fisher education, and recovery programs).
FLAGs
Local level: Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZA)
designated by Regional Administrations. Example: ISPRA guidelines have been followed by Veneto Region for the elaboration of the draft AZA Plan for the maritime compartments of Chioggia and Venice (Resolution 1651/2023).

How policy instruments set for the implementation of sectoral policies (fisheries and aquaculture) adequately internalize key-requirements of EU policies established to deliver healthy marine ecosystems (MSFD/WFD/MSPD)

Trawling & Dredging regulations

The National Management Plans for hydraulic dredges and trawling (MIPAAF, 2019; MIPAAF, 2011) indirectly contribute to biodiversity conservation. For example, dredge fishing regulations:

  • set catch limits
  • specify characteristics of allowed hydraulic dredges
  • prohibit fishing for certain species, and regulate discards.

While the trawling plan:

  • regulates fishing permits, minimum landing sizes, and trawl net selectivity
  • defines restricted areas for fisheries (e.g. on seagrass beds or rocky outcrops)
  • establishes permanent and temporary bans for the trawling activity.

Trawling is permanently prohibited within the 3 nautical miles from the coastline baseline.

In addition, MASAF annually issues a Decree (e.g. MASAF, 2024) establishing the summer ban for most of the fisheries (e.g. in 2024, from July 31 to September 13). The same decree extends the trawling ban to 6 nautical miles in the period before and after the overall summer ban (e.g., from July 1 to October 31 in 2024), except for “small trawlers” (units registered in the IV category authorized for local fishing within 6 miles and units with an overall length of up to 15 m), which are allowed to operate beyond four miles.

MASAF, in collaboration with local administrations and scientific institutions, can establish Biological Protection Zones (ZTB) where fishing is strictly regulated (e.g. trawling is in general prohibited). The study area includes several ZTBs of small/medium size: in the area between Filtri and Barcola that includes the Miramare MPA, tegnue di Chioggia, tegnue di Porto Falconera Caorle, and Fuori Ravenna. Moreover, the scientific community has advanced a proposal for the establishment of the so-called “Soles Sanctuary” Fishery Restricted Area (FRA), located astride the demarcation of the continental shelf agreed between Italy and Croatia (activity carried out in the context of the DORY Project – Interreg between Italy and Croatia; Bastardie et al., 2017).

The EMFAF National Program 2021-2027 (MASAF, 2022a) integrates fisheries and biodiversity actions by supporting

  • reduced fishing effort in overexploited GSAs (e.g., for pelagic trawling and purse seining in the case of the Adriatic Sea)
  • environmental improvements aligned with MSFD spatial protection
  • conservation efforts in MPAs and Natura 2000 sites.

The four FLAGs (Fisheries Local Action Groups) in the region, funded by EMFAF, play a key role in supporting the improvement of the sustainable management of the sector. Their initiatives include collaboration with research institutes and NGOs on biodiversity projects (such as Caretta caretta protection; e.g., the TARTATUR Project, promotion of the use of selective fishing gear, bycatch monitoring, fisher education, and recovery programs.

FLAGs also contributed to management plans for two Natura 2000 sites (IT3270025, IT4060018) off the Po Delta, designated for the conservation of Caretta caretta and Tursiops truncatus. Conservation measures adopted by Veneto and Emilia Romagna include reducing fishing pressure on these species (e.g., banning longlines and hook lines in the two sites) and restricting other activities like windsurfing and kitesurfing to prevent species disturbance (Decision No. 710 of 17/05/2021 by Emilia Romagna; Decision No. 1135 of 06/08/2020 by Veneto Region).

Aquaculture activities have spatial and environmental interactions with other uses and economic activities of the sea and can generate negative or positive externalities directly or indirectly. According to the Technical Guide for the Allocation of Marine Areas for Aquaculture (AZA), these interactions can be classified as: incompatible, potentially compatible (e.g. with Natura 2000 sites), and compatible. The guide also recommends considering a distance to be respected (standoff distance) when allocating areas for aquaculture, this is a buffer area to reduce the negative impacts aquaculture may have on sensitive areas (e.g. MPAs).

ISPRA guidelines have been followed by Veneto Region for the elaboration of the draft AZA Plan for the maritime compartments of Chioggia and Venice (Resolution 1651/2023). As required by the Technical Guide, in the initial phase of identification of marine zones, the interaction between AZAs and protected areas was considered. Therefore, the AZAs plan, as proposed, has located the new aquaculture areas in sites where there are no expected negative interactions with MPAs or Natura 2000 sites. Moreover, in the final definition of the AZAs, other elements were evaluated and taken into consideration, such as the interference with trawling fishing activities and maritime traffic (mostly in front of the Venice Lagoon and its Malamocco inlet in particular)

Full Summary Report - Northern Adriatic case study results

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References

  • Bastardie, F. et al. (2017) ‘Spatial planning for fisheries in the Northern Adriatic: working toward viable and sustainable fishing’, Ecosphere, 8(2), p. e01696. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1696.
  • Emilia Romagna Region (2021). Deliberazione No. 710 del 17 Maggio 2021 [Decision No. 710 of May 17, 2021].
  • Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies – MIPAAF (2019). Piano di gestione nazionale per le attività di pesca con il sistema draghe idrauliche e rastrelli da natante così come identificati nella denominazione degli attrezzi di pesca in draghe meccaniche comprese le turbosoffianti (HMD) e draga meccanizzata (DRB) [National Management Plan for fishing activities using hydraulic dredges and trawl gear as identified in the naming of fishing gear in mechanical dredges including air-lift dredges (HMD) and mechanized dredges (DRB)].
  • Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies – MIPAAF (2011). Piano di Gestione (ex art. 24 del Reg. (CE) n. 1198/2006) GSA 17 Mar Adriatico Centro-Settentrionale – Strascico [Management Plan (e. art. 24 of Regulation (EC) 1198/2006) GSA 17 Central-Northern Adriatic Sea – Trawl].
  • Ministry of agriculture, food sovereignty and forestry – MASAF (2022a). National Program funded by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021-2027
  • Ministry of agriculture, food sovereignty and forestry – MASAF (2024). Disposizioni in materia di interruzione temporanea obbligatoria delle attività di pesca esercitate mediante l’utilizzo di attrezzi trainati “reti a strascico a divergenti (OTB)”, “reti gemelle a divergenti (OTT)” e/o “sfogliare – rapidi (TBB)” – Annualità 2024 [Provisions on the Mandatory Temporary Suspension of Fishing Activities Conducted Using Towed Gear: “Otter Trawl (OTB),” “Twin Otter Trawl (OTT),” and/or “Beam Trawl (TBB)” – Year 2024].
  • Veneto Region (2020). Deliberazione No. 1135 del 06 agosto 2020 – Individuazione di nuovo Sito di Importanza Comunitaria denominato S.I.C. IT3270025 “Adriatico Settentrionale Veneto – Delta del Po”. Rete ecologica europea Natura 2000. Direttive 92/43/CEE e 2009/147/CE [Resolution No. 1135 of August 6, 2020 – Designation of a New Site of Community Importance (SCI) Named IT3270025 “Northern Adriatic Veneto – Po Delta.” European Ecological Network Natura 2000. Directives 92/43/EEC and 2009/147/EC.].
  • Veneto Region (2023). Deliberazione No. 1651 – Adozione del documento “Allocazione degli spazi per l’attività di acquacoltura in mare (AZA – Allocated Zones for Aquaculture) nei compartimenti marittimi di Chioggia e Venezia” [Decision No. 1651 – Adoption of the document “Allocation of spaces for fishery and aquculture activities at sea in the maritime compartments of Chioggia and Venice”]