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The Mediterranean marine region is considered one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities due the high occurrence of rare and threatened species, endemism and high species richness. However, several pressure such as losses and alterations of habitats are ongoing and in order to increase conservation in this sea region, many marine protected areas were established, including Natura 2000 sites. The latter are areas designated under the Habitat and Bird Directives for the conservation of species in need of strict protection, so that they can reach a favourable conservation status. Species conservation status is also assessed through the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species. The aim of our study was to test whether IUCN Red List and the related Red List Index RLI (which aggregates in a single value all the information on conservation status of a particular set of species) can be used as a metrics to characterize MPAs, and orienting, consequently, local marine conservation policies. A pilot study was undertaken in the six Sicilian MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) and results highlighted that Egadi Island has a low RLI value (meaning that the MPA hosts many species with a threatened status) while the Capo Gallo MPA, at the opposite, as an high RLI value (i.e.less threatened species); the other four MPAs. Egadi, Pelagie, and Ustica showed similar distribution frequencies of Red List categories having similar RLI values. Biological resource use, natural system modifications, invasive species, and pollution all account for 90% of assessed threats. Outcomes of our study showed that IUCN indicators should be considered as a tool to: assess the conservation status of set of species in protected areas; drive prioritization in the decision process in order to support an effective management conservation plan; designate new MPAs.

Marine litter is commonly observed everywhere in the ocean. In this study, we analyzed 17 km of video footage, collected by a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) at depths ranging between 20 and 220 m, during 19 transects performed on the rocky banks of the Straits of Sicily. Recently, the Contracting Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognized this site as an Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area (EBSA). The research aim was to quantify the abundance of marine litter and its impact on benthic fauna. Litter density ranged from 0 items/100 m2 to 14.02 items/100 m2 with a mean (±standard error) of 2.13 (±0.84) items/100 m2. The observed average density was higher (5.2 items/100 m2) at depths >100 m than at shallower depths (

The stomach contents of 69 Mediterranean spearfish Tetrapturus belone collected in the Strait of Messina, central Mediterranean Sea were examined. Of the total specimens, caught by harpoon, only three stomachs were empty. Their diet consisted mainly of pelagic fish and cephalopods. The most important piscine prey belonged to the families of Belonidae, Clupeidae and Scomberesocidae. Cephalopods were mainly represented by Tremoctopus violaceus in terms of per cent weight and by Illex coindetii in terms of per cent frequency of occurrence. Tetrapturus belone is an active predator on epipelagic fast-moving prey and school-forming species. Its ecological role is similar to that of other large pelagic species which share the same environment.