Fishing for litter in Sardinia

Motivated by the discovery of significant marine litter during underwater research with Remotely Operated Vehicles, the project was launched to combat this growing problem by engaging local fishers in Sardinia. The initiative united twelve associations, including nine trawlers and ten small-scale fishing boats, to collect and monitor marine litter across eight ports. Under the leadership of the University of Cagliari's Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, the project merged scientific research with hands-on efforts, providing specialised training to fishers for precise litter monitoring and fostering collaboration across different fishing sectors. A local service provider managed the onshore waste collection, which resulted in the removal of over 2 400 kg of litter and reinforced a sense of environmental stewardship within the fishing community.