@sambentley: This Italian fisherman did something incredible to protect the ocean from destructive fishing! Meet Paolo Fanciulli, a 60-year-old fisherman who's been fighting against illegal trawling Trawling is a type of fishing that drags heavy nets across the seafloor, massively reducing fish populations and destroying marine habitats So how did Paolo fight back? He teamed up with local sculptors and created huge marble artworks which he then dropped into the Mediterranean Sea. These heavy sculptures created an underwater museum that would rip trawling nets as they pass by and help scare off illegal fishers. And the best thing about it is, it's working! Seagrass beds, an essential habitat and carbon store, are growing back, and the area is attracting more marine life like lobsters, turtles, and even dolphins! Thanks to Paolo and the hard work of local sculptors, there are now 80 statues standing guard over the ocean floor, and he wants to add more! Trawler fishing is illegal in Italy because of the damage it does to marine ecosystems, but it's hard to enforce and is often done at night. So sometimes, creative solutions like this and creative humans like Paolo are the best way to fight back and make positive change for our oceans. Would you like to see more of this happening? #goodnews #conservation #ocean #environment #italy #fishing

Sam Bentley

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Region: GB

Wednesday 05 March 2025 18:04:49 GMT