Elasmobranchs are among the most threatened long-lived marine species worldwide, and incidental capture is a major source of mortality. The northern central Adriatic Sea, though one of the most overfished basins of the Mediterranean Sea, supports a very valuable marine biodiversity, including elasmobranchs. This study assesses the impact of the northern central Adriatic pelagic trawl fishery on common smooth-hound (Mustelus mustelus), spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), common eagle ray (Myliobatis aquila), and pelagic stingray (Pteroplatytrygon violacea) by examining incidental catches recorded between 2006 and 2015. The distribution of bycatch events was evaluated using geo-referenced data. Generalized Linear Models were computed to standardize the catch of the four species and to predict the relative abundance of bycatch events. Data analysis shows that most bycatch events involving all four species occurred in the northern Adriatic Sea. The models predicted significant, distinct temporal patterns of standardized catches in line with previous investigations. Water depth, season, and fishing region were the best predictors to explain bycatch events. The present data suggest that the northern Adriatic may be an important nursery area for several elasmobranchs. They also highlight the urgent need for a better understanding of the interactions between elasmobranchs and fisheries to develop and apply suitable, ad hoc management measures.

Despite the fact that Mediterranean loggerhead turtles are listed as "Least Concern" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are among the most threatened marine megafauna worldwide, because of fishery-related incidental captures. The northern central Adriatic Sea is one of the most overfished basins of the Mediterranean Sea and it supports a very valuable marine biodiversity, including sea turtles. This study assesses the spatial and seasonal impact of the northern central Adriatic midwater pair trawl fishery on loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) by examining incidental catches recorded between 2006 and 2018 and environmental variables. The model predicted seasonal variation of loggerhead distribution. According to previous studies, data analysis indicates that most bycatch events of loggerhead turtle occurred in the northern Adriatic Sea. The present data confirm that the northern Adriatic may be an important foraging area for loggerhead turtle. They also highlight the urgent need for a better understanding of the interactions between sea turtles and fisheries to develop and apply suitable, ad hoc management measures in critical habitats.

The combustion of fossil fuels is considered a major cause of climate change, which is why the reduction of emissions has become a key goal of the Paris climate agreement. Coherent monitoring of the energy profile of fishing vessels through an energy audit can effectively identify sources of inefficiency, allowing for the deployment of well-informed and cost-efficient remedial interventions. We applied energy audits to a test fleet of ten vessels, representing three typical Mediterranean trawl fisheries: midwater pair trawl, bottom otter trawl, and Rapido beam trawl. Overall, these fisheries use approximately 2.9 litres of fuel per kilogram of landed fish, but the fuel consumption rate varies widely according to gear type and vessel size. This amount of fuel burned from capture to landing generates approximately 7.6 kg∙CO2/kg fish on average. Minimising impacts and energy consumption throughout the product chain may be another essential element needed to reduce the environmental costs of fishing. Our results provided a set of recognised benchmarks that can be used for monitoring progress in this field.

The aim of this study is to develop a relocatable modelling system able to describe the microbial contamination that affects the quality of coastal bathing waters. Pollution events are mainly triggered by urban sewer outflows during massive rainy events, with relevant negative consequences on the marine environment and tourism and related activities of coastal towns. A finite element hydrodynamic model was applied to five study areas in the Adriatic Sea, which differ for urban, oceanographic and morphological conditions. With the help of transport-diffusion and microbial decay modules, the distribution of Escherichia coli was investigated during significant events. The numerical investigation was supported by detailed in situ observational datasets. The model results were evaluated against water level, sea temperature, salinity and E. coli concentrations acquired in situ, demonstrating the capacity of the modelling suite in simulating the circulation in the coastal areas of the Adriatic Sea, as well as several main transport and diffusion dynamics, such as riverine and polluted waters dispersion. Moreover, the results of the simulations were used to perform a comparative analysis among the different study sites, demonstrating that dilution and mixing, mostly induced by the tidal action, had a stronger effect on bacteria reduction with respect to microbial decay. Stratification and estuarine dynamics also play an important role in governing microbial concentration. The modelling suite can be used as a beach management tool for improving protection of public health, as required by the EU Bathing Water Directive.