The project in partnership with Blue Marine Foundation, to preserve the Aeolian small scale fishery, has officially started!
In 2017, the BLUE and AIPF team started to work on the project with small-scale fishermen from Salina and Stromboli, where they have developed a voluntary ’Responsible Fishing Code of Conduct’, in collaboration with local biologists, to establish best practices measures ensuring protection of fish stocks.
The 27th of March in Salina and the 28th in Stromboli, the code has been officialised, at the presence of the representatives of the foundations, of the fishermen and the institutions.
The project aims to encourage a collaboration between the fishermen; to improve understanding of Aeolian marine resources; to develop non-destructive, sustainable fishing methods; to restore fish stocks and protect marine habitats; to create Win-Win model for conservation and fisheries.
BLUE has purchased insulated fish boxes to improve the quality of their daily catch, together with the creation of a label that identifies the Aeolian responsible fishermen working group. Local and private buyers can easily identify the fishermen who follow responsible principles, with reduced impact on the marine environment and providing a high quality and sustainable product.
During the meeting in Salina, the Captain of the Coast Guard Marco Miuccio, expressed his enthusiasm for the project saying: “This ethical conduct will be positive for your survival, for the survival of the sea and for your children. This type of union will give the possibility to insert new suggestions in the local fishery management plan, about possible limits to be integrated, suggesting new rules to protect yourselves. It is commendable that you have succeeded in joining a single group and making small sacrifices for the benefit of the resource recovery. If you have courage, you will have more fish in the Aeolians.”
The Mayor of Santa Marina (Salina) Domenico Arabia said: “I am happy to have supported this project from the beginning. Our territory is such a fragile place that self-regulation is more than necessary. ” During that same meeting, the Mayor also announced the arrival of additional funds and programs to support the category.
The fisherman of Stromboli Gaetano Cusolito said: “The philosophy of the fishermen in Stromboli was already ‘BLUE’, but we are happy to work together to the project. We hope that other fishermen will also listen and understand that sustainable fishing is good for us and for our future. ”
The fishermen in Salina who have joined the initiative are: Gaetano Zagari, Santino Ruggiera, Edoardo Argentaro, Aldo Zavone, Bartolino Pantò, Salvatore Follone, Pasqualino Taranto, Roberto Pirera, Giovanni Ristuccia, Alfonso Pirera and Agostino Rando. In Stromboli Gaetano Cincotta, Gaetano Cusolito, Roberto Cusolito, Federico Cusolito, Luca Taranto, Antonio Cincotta, Stefano Cincotta, Mario Caccetta, Nino Caccetta e Vincenzo Utano.
The institutions supporting the project: the majors of Salina Domenico Arabia and Clara Rametta. Claudio Utano was presenta s a delegate of Lipari Municipality. The support of the Coast Guard has been precious, in paarticular the role of the Captains Paolo Margadonna and Marco Miuccio. Paolo De Rosa, President of the association Attiva Stromboli have also been really helpful.
The Code of Conduct is an instrument oriented towards future protection regimes and consultation phases, where fishermen will have greater contractual capacity for future choices aimed at protecting the sea and the fish resources. The Aeolian Islands Preservation Fund and Blue Marine Foundation will keep on supporting the fishermen in this aggregation process and also with other projects to protect the natural environments of the Aeolian Islands. Regarding the sustainable fishing project, the hope is to spread the model to Lipari and other islands, compatibly with the will of the fishermen.