Marzia BO, ANGIOLILLO M., BAVA S., BETTI F., CANESE S., CATTANEO- VIETTI R., CAU A., PRIORI C., SANDULLI R., SANTANGELO G., TUNESI L., BAVESTRELLO G. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, della Vita, dell’Ambiente, Università di Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italia. E-mail: marzia.bo@unige.it FISHING IMPACT ON ITALIAN DEEP CORAL GARDENS AND MANAGEMENT OF THESE VULNERABLE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS Abstract Coral gardens have been internationally recognized as unique habitats characterized by numerous structuring species, generating complex and fragile ecosystems, which act as important oases of biodiversity in the deep realm. Deep corals are generally believed to constitute poorly resilient assemblages presenting a low recovery potential from the impact of destructive deep fishing activities. For these reasons, the international scientific community has recently proposed the inclusion of some of these species in many protection lists, recognizing their ecological value and their vulnerability to human activities. A wide ROV video archive was used to characterize the fishing impact on numerous deep rocky shoals along the entire Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas (Italy). Lost fishing gears represent the great majority of the marine litter on the bottom, reported in the totality of the explored sites. Some regional differences were highlighted, with Liguria and Campania among the most impacted areas. Various features, such as the explored depth range, the accessibility of the shoals and the local fishing traditions play a synergistic role in defining the observed pattern. Additional indicators of impact have been identified in order to characterize the health status of the coral aggregations in heavily impacted fishing grounds. No active ecosystem-based fishery management of the deep Italian rocky shoals hosting these coral gardens has still been defined, if we exclude some local initiatives. A network of deep marine protected areas, that might apply experimental fishing restrictions, is here proposed for the Italian Seas. Key-words: Coral gardens; Italian Seas; ROV-imaging; Fishing impact; VMEs. Introduction The effects of fishing activities on the benthic biocoenoses represent a worldwide problem particularly relevant in the Mediterranean Sea, a site characterized by intense historical fishing traditions. Similarly to what happens in other areas of the world, also in the Mediterranean basin the majority of the studies concerning fishing impact have been addressed on the soft bottom assemblages subjected to trawling activities (Smith et al., 2000; Maynou & Cartes, 2012), while very few information is available on the response of hard bottom communities, with the exception of some priority habitats such as seamounts (Freiwald et al., 2011) and white coral gardens (Tudela, 2000; Orejas et al., 2009; D’Onghia et al., 2010, 2012). In the Mediterranean Sea, the rocky bottoms between 50 and 700 m depth, being generally avoided by trawlers, represent important fishing grounds for artisanal and recreational fleets. These areas may host rich benthic biocoenoses, dominated by large anthozoans (such as gorgonians, antipatharians, and scleractinians), that are vulnerable to the impact 1st Mediterranean Symposium on the conservation of Dark Habitats (Portorož, Slovenia, 31 October 2014) 21