Sea Shepherd Protects the Aeolian Islands

Sea Shepherd Protects the Aeolian Islands © Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Sea Shepherd’s vessel M/V Sam Simon together with Lipari’s Coast Guard, Milazzo’s Revenue and Customs Authorities, and with the collaboration of artisanal fishermen, confiscated 52 Fish Aggregating Devices (FADS) and 100 kilometers of polypropylene line in the Aeolian Islands in 178 hours.

It is estimated that more than 1,500 FADs are illegally anchored each year, which is a key contributor to plastic pollution in the Italian Sea, and lethal for marine species such as Loggerhead sea turtles and Sperm Whales that can become entangled during migration. This results in 2,000km of polypropylene line, and hundreds of kilos of plastic and bottles (often dirty and containing harmful chemical liquids) being dropped in the sea. The Aeolian Islands were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Their rich biodiversity provides a perfect environment for the nesting of many migratory species and for whales, sperm whales, common dolphins, beaked whales, striped dolphins, grey dolphins and pilot whales.