Capri's Marine Protected Area is born: after 40 years, the final green light has arrived.

After more than forty years of environmental battles, Capri will finally have its own Marine Protected Area. With the final approval of the bill by the Chamber of Deputies' 8th Environment Committee, the parliamentary process officially establishing the "Island of Capri" MPA has concluded, filling a historic gap in the protection of the island's natural heritage.

The law's entry into force now opens the operational phase. The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security will have six months to implement all the necessary procedures to make the new protected area fully operational. The measure also definitively distinguishes the two marine protected areas, separating "Punta Campanella" from the "Island of Capri," which will have separate management procedures.

The establishment of the Marine Protected Area also represents a significant step towards achieving the European objectives of the 30x30 Strategy, which aims to protect at least 30% of marine areas by 2030. Capri, one of the most famous and visited islands in the Mediterranean, was still without a dedicated tool to safeguard its ecosystem.

Marevivo, which has been campaigning to protect the island's marine environment for over four decades, expressed great satisfaction. "Marevivo was founded over forty years ago on Capri, where our first marine conservation campaigns began. Since then, we have worked with dedication and perseverance to protect the island's extraordinary biodiversity," said President Rosalba Giugni.

"We are convinced that Marine Protected Areas should not only be conservation tools, but also centers for scientific research, biodiversity monitoring, environmental education, and the promotion of marine culture," added Giugni, also mentioning the "Guardian Dolphins" project, promoted in schools on the smaller islands.

The Foundation's president also thanked the municipalities of Capri and Anacapri for the initiatives already adopted, such as the placement of buoys to regulate boat access to the most sensitive areas, and expressed gratitude to the parliamentarians who supported the measure, particularly Senator Lavinia Mennuni and Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Sergio Costa.

Marevivo, however, also launches an appeal for financial resources. The Foundation expresses deep concern over the 23% reduction in funding for National Parks, Nature Reserves, and Marine Protected Areas, expressing its hope that the next Budget Law will ensure adequate funding to ensure effective management of environmental heritage.

For the association, the new Capri Marine Protected Area could become a model of sustainable development, capable of combining biodiversity conservation, scientific research, responsible tourism, and the maritime economy, transforming one of the pearls of the Mediterranean into an international benchmark for environmental protection.