The Jabuka/Pomo Pit, located between Italy and Croatia, is an area where the usually shallow waters of the north and central Adriatic descend deeper, to around 200 meters.
The unique features of the area mean that it is considered one of the most important ecosystems for fish stocks in the entire Adriatic Sea.
Hosting nurseries and spawning areas for some of the most overexploited fish stocks in the Mediterranean, as well as vulnerable ecosystems, the Jabuka/Pomo Pit is vital to the recovery of the Adriatic.
The Jabuka/Pomo Pit, located between Italy and Croatia, is an area where the usually shallow waters of the north and central Adriatic descend deeper, to around 200 meters.
The unique features of the area mean it is considered one of the most important ecosystems for fish stocks in the entire Adriatic Sea.
Hosting nurseries and spawning areas for some of the most overexploited fish stocks in the Mediterranean, as well as vulnerable ecosystems, the Jabuka/Pomo Pit is vital to the recovery of the Adriatic.
Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs) are marine reserves that help the recovery of overexploited fish stocks and marine habitats.
In 2016, MedReAct launched the Adriatic Recovery Project – a coalition of environmental organisations and research institutions – to promote the establishment of FRAs. In these areas fishing is banned or significantly restricted, in order to protect vulnerable marine species and habitats.
Since then, protection of the Jabuka/Pomo Pit has led to an astonishing increase in the biomass of commercial species like scampi and hake, as well as the return of bottom sharks.
These extraordinary results should be replicated throughout the Mediterranean.
Since then, protection of the Jabuka/Pomo Pit has led to an astonishing increase in the biomass of commercial species like scampi and hake, as well as the return of bottom sharks.
These extraordinary results should be replicated throughout the Mediterranean.
Bottom trawling is banned in the central area of the Jabuka/Pomo Pit.
Within days of Italy’s decision, trawling wipes out all the positive effects of the fishing closure.
So MedReAct and the Adriatic Recovery Project take action: to provide lasting
protection to the area we present our Fisheries Restricted Areas proposal to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. The proposal is accepted and the Jabuka/Pomo Pit FRA is established, initially for three years.
The preliminary data shows that in just two years, the closure of the area to bottom fishing has yielded extraordinary results: the biomass of the two most exploited species, scampi and hake, has more than doubled. In addition, the area is once again populated by vulnerable species, such as sharks, which had almost disappeared prior to 2017.
The Jabuka/Pomo Pit FRA secures permanent protection.
Bottom trawling is banned in the central area of the Jabuka/Pomo Pit.
Within days of Italy’s decision, renewed operation of trawling wipes out all the positive effects of the fishing closure.
So MedReAct and the Adriatic Recovery Project take action: we present our FRA proposal to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. The proposal is accepted and the Jabuka/Pomo Pit FRA is established, initially for three years.
The preliminary data shows that in just two years, the closure of the area to bottom fishing has yielded extraordinary results: the biomass of the two most exploited species, scampi and hake, has more than doubled. In addition, the area is once again populated by vulnerable species, such as sharks, which had almost disappeared prior to 2017.
The Jabuka/Pomo Pit FRA secures permanent protection.