We’re sinking marble sculptures to protect the ocean
Industrial fisheries have developed a devastating fishing method that catches everything in its path: ‘bottom trawling’. Ships drag heavy nets along the ocean floor, maximizing the extraction of life. Many of the sea creatures caught—known as bycatch—have no commercial value and are tossed back into the sea, dead or dying. In the Mediterranean, this technique doesn’t just harm marine life; it also destroys the seagrass Posidonia—a keystone species that absorbs massive amounts of CO2.
The mission
This leaves the Mediterranean overfished and “on the verge of burnout”. That’s why our partner, Casa dei Pesci, came up with a creative plan to stop bottom trawling: an underwater art museum. Their underwater sculptures keep trawlers away by damaging their nets, and attract public attention.
Casa dei Pesci held a month-long event where artists created five new marble sculptures. Alongside these, protective cement blocks were dropped off the coast to protect sea life from bottom trawling. These blocks are specifically designed with holes to provide marine life with new homes lost to harmful fishing. Thanks to the incredible support of the Planet Wild community, five sculptures and 40 protective blocks have been added to the coastline, helping to keep Posidonia and the ecosystem safe.
What we achieved
Ideal outcome
Our Partner
Paolo Fanciulli is a fisherman and passionate environmental advocate from Tuscany. Since the 80s, he has been protecting the Talamone sea from bottom trawling. He tried everything to stop illegal fishing—attacking boats with a dinghy, setting up barbed wire, and more—risking his life in the process. Eventually, he came up with a safer and more effective solution: dropping protective blocks and marble sculptures on the ocean floor. These don’t just keep trawlers away by damaging their nets, but also attract public attention. Now, Paolo educates tourists and students about the urgent need to protect the oceans and promotes sustainable fishing practices. His courageous efforts have made him a well-known figure in ocean conservation.
Our Partner
Paolo Fanciulli is a fisherman and passionate environmental advocate from Tuscany. Since the 80s, he has been protecting the Talamone sea from bottom trawling. He tried everything to stop illegal fishing—attacking boats with a dinghy, setting up barbed wire, and more—risking his life in the process. Eventually, he came up with a safer and more effective solution: dropping protective blocks and marble sculptures on the ocean floor. These don’t just keep trawlers away by damaging their nets, but also attract public attention. Now, Paolo educates tourists and students about the urgent need to protect the oceans and promotes sustainable fishing practices. His courageous efforts have made him a well-known figure in ocean conservation.