A vast seabed cleanup operation was carried out this morning by the Carabinieri underwater officers of the Cagliari provincial command within the Villasimius Marine Protected Area .

The military recovered abandoned fishing nets, traps, and other gear lost at sea, in a complex operation that lasted several hours and required naval vessels, specialized equipment, and detailed planning.

For the occasion, the prefect of Cagliari, Giuseppe Castaldo, also took part in the operations, boarding the Carabinieri patrol boat and closely following the various phases of the intervention.

The operations were coordinated with the head of the Marine Protected Area, Valeria Masala, and focused on various locations in the area, identified through previous reconnaissance and reports from fishermen and environmental groups. The divers conducted numerous dives at various depths, after precisely mapping the presence of abandoned gear.

The recovered material was then transferred aboard the Class 800 patrol boat and subsequently transported ashore for disposal by authorized entities.

So-called “ghost nets” pose a serious threat to marine wildlife, as they continue to catch fish and other species even when they are no longer used.

During the cleanup, several entangled animals were freed, including groupers and starfish. The quantity of equipment recovered, along with the wildlife rescued, confirms the need for constant surveillance in particularly sensitive stretches of sea.

(Unioneonline/Fr.Me.)

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