Survey data on public awareness on the value of marine biodiversity conservation in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea).

The Strait of Sicily (SoS) is a region of key ecological importance because of its peculiar oceanographic conditions, high biodiversity, and critical role as a transition area between the western and eastern basins of the Mediterranean Sea. The SoS was designated as an Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area (EBSA) by the Contracting Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2014 [1] and acknowledged as an Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) in 2023 [2]. Ongoing research and conservation efforts are essential to protect this vital marine corridor from increasing anthropogenic pressures.

Deficiencies in monitoring practices of marine protected areas in southern European seas.

Worldwide, states are gazetting new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to meet the international commitment of protecting 30% of the seas by 2030. Yet, protection benefits only come into effect when an MPA is implemented with activated regulations and actively managed through continuous monitoring and adaptive management. To assess if actively managed MPAs are the rule or the exception, we used the Mediterranean and Black Seas as a case study, and retrieved information on monitoring activities for 878 designated MPAs in ten European Union (EU) countries.

Bioaccumulation of Trace Elements in the Muscle of the Blackmouth Catshark from Mediterranean Waters.

Environmental pollution, particularly in the marine environment, has become a significant concern due to the increasing presence of pollutants and their adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. This study focuses on the bioaccumulation of trace elements in the muscle tissue of the blackmouth catshark () from different areas in the Mediterranean Sea. Trace elements are of interest due to their persistence, toxicity, and potential for bioaccumulation.

Escape Survival and Scale Damage Assessment of Red Mullet ( Linnaeus, 1758) during Bottom Trawling in the Central Mediterranean Sea.

Stock assessments routinely evaluate the status of commercially harvested species, but seldom account for the possible mortality of released or escaping fish. This study presents a method for estimating the escape survival of the red mullet () from demersal trawling in the Central Mediterranean Sea. Fish escaping from the trawl codend were collected in a detachable cage, which was lined to reduce water flow and protect the sampled fish from further fatigue and injury.

Stress related blood values in Scyliorhinus canicula as live-indicators of physiological status after bottom trawling capture activity.

The quantification of capture-related physiological stress is an important factor when assessing the potential for post-release survival in sharks that are incidentally captured. In the absence of these biological data and when the post-release fate is unknown, effective management plans cannot be formulated and may lead to highly susceptible shark populations being overfished. Here, we measured the levels of lactate, glucose, alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), Ca, Na K,Cl Mg and Pi in the plasma of mature and immature lesser spotted dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula, herein dogfish) which were incidentally captured at two depths (shallow: 50-200 m, and deep: 201-500 m) by bottom trawl off the coast of southern Sicily.