Sardinia: Businesses in the nautical sector and protected areas unite to create substainable tourism, with ideas and innovations

A new objective is now born from the principle Italian areas where these two worlds meet. Finally there is a positive way forward, within certain environmental regulations in force, there is a real opportunity for a dialogue and to introduce sustainable innovations to please the nautical clients (and there fore the economy) of the marine area. In Sardinia, the protected marine area of Tavolara, the natural jewel of the province of Olbia, at the end of September addressed the issue of protecting the environment without hitting the nautical tourism sector. The protagonists of this meeting were businesses of the Nautical sector and managers of the protected marine reserves, gathered to present examples and to share possible solutions, essential for a region such as Sardinia, but in general for all Italy and the Mediterranean. A sea that at it’s highest level, sees the presence of around 2,500 yachts over 24 metres per season and about 1000 vessels over  30 metres in Italian waters. In particular, relating to Sardinia one also has to consider the diving, yacht chartering, tourist vessels, small & medium sized private vessels that during the summer season  pass and remain in the surrounding water & the protected areas. If in the past, a meeting of this level could have seemed impossible, due to the distance between the interested parties of these two sectors, the Sardinian meeting brought together over one hundred participants and showed the way ahead to affront the care of the wonderful ambient of our country in agreement with a development  of the sustainable nautical and tourism industries. Not only due to the magic & beauty of the place, but of the Condfindustria North Sardinina and the Marine Protected area of Tavolara that have been promotors & organisers of this conference. Three of the national parks have participated in this conference: regional park of Asinara, National park of the Maddelena Archipelago , Regional park of Porto Conte. Also present were Amp of Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo, representatives from the  protected marine area Capocaccia, tourist businesses and personnel of the national parks and the protected areas and Directors of the network of Navigo, Tuscany & Navigo Sardinia. If there was conflict in the past between the nautical sector and environmental conservation,  the innovation and the technology servicing of a sustainable nautical industry, is now reseraching alternative and creative solutions, in particular regarding construction material that allows the realisation of lighter vessels, hybrid propulsion and domotic environments.  Or, as presented, in the case of good practice during  the Tavolara conference from the French business Andro mede, the application to allow sustainable mooring which respects the sea environment. The importance of an application which directly allows by tablet or smartphone to recognise the sea bed thanks to updated maps, would allow one to find the most evironmental anchorage solution, the Amp of Tavolara has supplied some information related to the transit of more than 31 thousand  yachts within those protected areas, over 24 thousand people on rented vessels, over 20 thousand on touristic boats and nearly 20 thousand scuba divers. Even if – according to the data supplied from the above institution – the impact on the sea bed is less than  1% of the vessel anchored on high impact ambient sea. Very limited is also the risk of environmental pollution as only  5% of the vessels have a two stroke petrol engine. To be noted from this meeting is the activism shown from the managers and directors of the protected areas and parks. Their task is to present good practices and report on the results of actions for the conservation and development in an open exchange with expertise from the nautical industry’s sector. There is a connection and  environmental knowledge which points to it’s paving the way towards protection of tourism compatability and the capability to intercept the potential and the economical return of this sector. Enterprises and the protected parks area’s micro business generate income and produce a beneficial effect and return to promote the development of this territory.