Scientific watch

Effectively translating scientific knowledge into policy and practice is essential for helping humanity navigate contemporary environmental challenges. The likelihood of achieving this can be increased through the study of bright spots -instances where science has successfully influenced policy and practice-

Most large-scale conservation policies are anticipated or announced in advance. This risks the possibility of preemptive resource extraction before the conservation intervention goes into force. This study used a high-resolution dataset of satellite-based fishing activity to show that anticipation of

The fan mussel Pinna nobilis, is the largest endemic bivalve in the Mediterranean Sea, which has been worryingly impacted by a mass mortality over hundreds of kilometers of coast in the Western Mediterranean Sea. A haplosporidian parasite has been reported

Theoretical studies of marine protected areas (MPAs) suggest that more mobile species should exhibit reduced local effects (defined as the ratio of the density inside vs. outside of the MPA). However, empirical studies have not supported the expected negative relationship

The North sector of the Strait of Sicily: a priority for conservation in the Mediterranean Sea The Strait of Sicily (SoS) represents the boundary between western and eastern Mediterranean sub-regions and is an important biodiversity hot spot. Given its ecotonal

The Port-Cros National Park (PCNP) was established in 1963. It encompassed the Island of Port-Cros and the neighboring island and islets (the Port-Cros Archipelago). Progressively, the PCNP has been entrusted with the management of an increasing number of territories outside

Characterizing fish communities must be a priority to safeguard resources and determine critical changes. This study analyzed species richness and the spatial and temporal evolution in the structure of fish assemblages based on photos taken in underwater free-diving contests. A

During the last fifty years, there has been a dramatic increase in the development of anthropogenic activities, and this is particularly threatening to marine coastal ecosystems. This study developed a statistical and modelling approach to study the complex relationship between

Fish communities are a key component of the aquatic ecosystem and may act as biological indicators for marine coastal waters. This study assessed, using fish data collected in situ with underwater visual census, the efficacy of a Mediterranean marine protected

Poaching renders many of the world’s marine protected areas ineffective. Because enforcement capacity is often limited, managers are attempting to bolster compliance by engaging the latent surveillance potential to fishers. However, little is known about how fishers respond when they