Protected Sea Area

The Pelagie Islands Marine Protected Area affects and covers an area of 4,136 hectares. It was established in 2002, and bases its primary objective on the protection of flora, marine vegetation, fauna with particular regard to reptiles and marine mammals and on the protection of biological and geomorphological resources of the area.

The A.M.P. The Pelagie Islands represent a heritage for Mediterranean biodiversity and a bulwark for the protection of species of conservation importance such as cetaceans, whose fauna in these islands is of great importance due to the number of species that inhabit them including dolphins and turtles marines of the Caretta caretta species that regularly nest on the beaches of Lampedusa and Linosa.

Diversity is, without a doubt, the most striking feature of the Pelagie archipelago. A diversity of geological, landscape, coastal and morphological-underwater origins corresponds to a diversity of coastal, infra-littoral and near-littoral habitats, with peculiar and diversified biological communities that make this archipelago a heritage for Mediterranean biodiversity.
PERMITTED ACTIVITIES

In zone A it is allowed:

access and parking to service boats with surveillance and rescue tasks and for scientific research activities authorized by the managing body of the protected marine area;
only in zone A surrounding the Isola dei Conigli in Lampedusa, bathing, in the manner and within the times governed by the managing body;

In zone B, the following activities regulated and/or authorized by the Managing Body are permitted:

bathing;
underwater guided tours, through the diving centers based in the Municipality falling within the Marine Protected Area;
individual scuba diving for residents of the Municipality of Lampedusa and Linosa.
motorized navigation of boats and boats, at speeds not exceeding five knots, as well as sailing and rowing;
motor navigation for collective transport and guided tours, including underwater ones;
anchoring in specially identified areas, as well as anchoring with mazzera (rope and stone) only for residents of the municipality of Lampedusa and Linosa;
mooring in identified and suitably equipped areas;
anchoring to motor boats for professional fishing only, with small-scale fishing tools;
fishing tourism activities, reserved for resident professional fishermen;
sport fishing with line and rod reserved only for residents of the Municipality of Lampedusa and Linosa;

In zone C, the following activities regulated and/or authorized by the Managing Body are permitted:

bathing;
underwater guided tours, by means of scuba diving centers based in the Municipality falling within the Marine Protected Area;
individual scuba diving for residents of the Municipality of Lampedusa and Linosa;
motorized navigation of boats and boats, at speeds not exceeding ten knots, as well as sailing and rowing;
motor navigation for collective transport and guided tours, including underwater ones;
anchoring in specially identified areas, as well as anchoring with mazzera (rope and stone) only for residents of the protected marine area;
mooring in identified and suitably equipped areas;
anchoring to motor boats for the sole purpose of sailing
professional fishing, with small-scale fishing tools;
fishing tourism activities, reserved for resident professional fishermen;
sport fishing with line and rod;