Thanks to the surprisingly good weather conditions and a logistical organization planned to the minute, 2023 fish visual census activities have been successfully carried out both at the Torre Guaceto and Porto Cesareo MPAs (Apulia region, SE Italy). We worked at multiple depths, monitoring the fish community associated with different habitats: rocky reefs, coralligenous formations, Posidonia oceanica meadows and sandy bottoms. Many thanks to the Costa del Sud diving centre for the logistic support.
Top left, the GMC team ready to start! Moving clockwise, some examples of the monitored habitats: coralligenous formations, rocky-reefs with macro-algae, a specimen of golden grouper (Epinephelus costae) and a Posidonia oceanica meadow.
(photo credit: Egidio Trainito; Mariele Crispino)