Start of Neptune, the project for underwater tourism in Liguria's marine areas [Photo gallery]

It is called “Neptune”, an acronym that stands for submerged natural and cultural heritage and sustainable management of creative diving, the cross-border project ready to start to develop and manage submerged paths of high natural and cultural value related to recreational underwater activities.

[Bergeggi, credit Jonathan Pellicano]

This is the first project involving the Portofino Marine Protected Area management consortium and partner of the Liguria Region, the Sardinia Region, the Provence Region and the Cote d'Azur, as well as the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago, the Port Cros National Park and the discovery center of the marine world in France.

[Mortola-Inferiore, credit Rundvald]

The project represents the first step to execute the agreement approved by the Liguria Region last March to build a Ligurian diving system in the area. In the realization of the project, the Cinque Terre National Park, the Protected Area Marina of the Island of Bergeggi, and the Regional Marine Protection Area of Capo Mortola will be involved, and will realize small infrastructures and will install equipment to widen the number of the users of the underwater recreational activities in the full respect of the marine environment.

[Riviera5 terre, credit William Domenichini]

Furthermore, the Liguria Region will directly involve ARPAL, the regional environmental protection agency, in monitoring actions of some sites of naturalistic interest to promote diving also in areas outside the marine reserves, involving the subjects of the Ligurian diving district, to make them known to potential users. The project will have a duration of 36 months and a funding of € 387 thousand available to the Liguria Region, deriving from the ERDF funds and national funding. Among the underwater infrastructures that will be financed: at Capo Mortola signaling and anchoring buoys for safe use and a removable wharf for small boats, at Cinque Terre two underwater paths for the disabled, in Bergeggi the delimitation of the paths for swimmers.