On May 6, 2025, at the Sala della Sibilla – Fortezza del Priamar in Savona, the technical workshop entitled “Cooperation among Marine Protected Areas, National Parks and Municipalities Signatories to the Partnership Charter in the Pelagos Sanctuary” will be held, promoted  by the Pelagos Agreement as part of the actions included in its current biennial work programme.

The meeting represents an important opportunity for operational discussion and technical insights to strengthen cooperation among the different actors involved in the protection of the Sanctuary and the marine mammals inhabiting it, with the aim of consolidating an integrated approach to the management of marine and coastal areas within this transboundary marine space.

For Marine Protected Areas, National Parks and marine Natura 2000 sites managers, participation in the workshop assumes strategic value. Indeed, the meeting will be structured as a true working session aimed at promoting the harmonization of management measures, particularly with regard to two species of priority importance such as the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus). Useful experiences and tools for the voluntary adoption of coordinated conservation and monitoring actions will be shared, with the aim of starting a common operational pathway on an inter-institutional scale.

For municipalities that are signatories to the Pelagos Partnership Charter, however, the workshop represents an important technical training opportunity. In fact, one of the central moments will be devoted to an in-depth discussion on how to effectively respond in the event of cetacean strandings along their coastlines, a topic of growing relevance for local administrations. The workshop will foster the development of new collaborations with protected areas, parks and Natura 2000 sites, as well as with other municipalities that are members of the Partnership Charter.
Participation in the event may also be enhanced as an activity carried out within the framework of the Partnership and reported, at the time of renewal, to the relevant authorities: Pelagos France / PN Port-Cros for French municipalities and the MASE (Ministry of Environment and Energy Security) for Italian municipalities.

The event will be held in Italian and French, with simultaneous interpretation, and will conclude with a visit to the Marine Protected Area of Bergeggi Island. The detailed program can be downloaded at the bottom.
Participation in the workshop is by invitation only, via a registration form by 18 April, 2025. However, interested entities and institutions may contact the Pelagos Agreement Permanent Secretariat to consider possible involvement: secretariat@pelagossanctuary.org.

Through this appointment, the Pelagos Agreement renews its commitment to promoting constructive dialogue and the creation of multilevel operational networks, which are critical to ensuring the effective and shared conservation of marine natural heritage.