The Pelagos Consortium officially launches in Italy
A major international alliance, coordinated by Tethys, to strengthen the protection of the Pelagos Sanctuary and Mediterranean whales and dolphins
The Pelagos Consortium, a new international initiative coordinated by Tethys Research Institute and supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation through the Pelagos Initiative, has been officially launched in Italy. Over the next four years, the Consortium will bring together 13 organisations, including research institutions, NGOs, marine protected areas and institutional partners from Italy, France and the Principality of Monaco, with the shared goal of strengthening the conservation of the Pelagos Sanctuary.
Among the project partners is WWF Italy, which marked this important milestone with the Blue Panda Trip. From 19th to 22nd June, the “Blue Panda”, WWF’s iconic sailing vessel and ambassador for the Mediterranean, crossed the Pelagos Sanctuary from Portofino to Monte Argentario, concluding its journey during the official presentation of the Consortium at Casa Pelagos, the interactive cetacean museum located within the WWF Oasis of Orbetello.
“For 40 years, Tethys has been at the forefront of marine mammal research and conservation in the Mediterranean. With this ambitious project, we reaffirm the strategic importance of an integrated, ecosystem-based and transboundary approach to managing the Pelagos Sanctuary, one that successfully combines biodiversity conservation with sustainable human activities,” said Simone Panigada, President of Tethys Research Institute and Coordinator of the Pelagos Consortium. “The Consortium aims to help transform the Pelagos Sanctuary, originally conceived by Tethys in the 1990s, into an international model for marine conservation, where scientific research, public policies and community engagement come together in an effective system for protecting the sea.”
The Pelagos Consortium was created to turn scientific knowledge into concrete conservation action. Its priorities include reducing the risk of ship strikes involving large cetaceans, mitigating underwater noise pollution, promoting highly protected marine areas, integrating cetacean conservation into maritime spatial planning, and strengthening cooperation among the three countries that share the Sanctuary.
A key element of the project will be the active involvement of local communities, encouraging public authorities, maritime stakeholders, the fishing sector, businesses, associations and citizens to contribute to a shared vision for Mediterranean marine conservation.
The Consortium’s launch was accompanied by the Blue Panda Trip, during which the team carried out visual and acoustic monitoring while sailing more than 200 nautical miles through the heart of the Pelagos Sanctuary.
The Pelagos Consortium represents a new chapter in a journey that began more than thirty years ago with the proposal for the creation of the Pelagos Sanctuary, and further confirms Tethys’ long-standing commitment to promoting marine conservation through scientific research, international cooperation and the active participation of the communities that live and work at sea.
