The basking shark is the world's second largest fish species with a circumglobal distribution in temperate waters. This filter-feeder is susceptible to several threats and considered Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. An increasing body of ecological research on this species is being collected at the worldwide level, but information about its status of contamination is scarce. Being particularly prone to bioaccumulation of contaminants, it is important to study pollutants in sharks so as to understand the decline in their populations.

The blue shark has recently been listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. This species has estimated to have undergone a 90% decline over 3 generations in the Mediterranean Sea, and thus its protection should be prioritized. However, at present, there is still a gap in knowledge concerning the species ecology.

To compensate for such a paucity of information, this study investigated the use of social media content as a complementary approach to evaluate the distribution and habitat use of blue sharks in coastal waters.

In this study, we use environmental DNA analysis in order to detect rare species of marine mammals and to evaluate their spatiotemporal distribution in an area biologically important due to the bathymetric conformation of the sea bottom, the Caprera Canyon. The focus is on two marine mammal species of conservation interest that are too evasive to be monitored using a traditional, visual approach: the Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) and the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus).

The Ocean Disclosure Initiative is an ocean-focused framework and methodology that addresses the most significant pressures exerted by each industry on marine ecosystems. It is science-based, consistent with a sustainability risk management approach, multi-stakeholder and aligned with existing initiatives. With the Ocean Disclosure Initiative companies, the scientific and financial communities, and civil society can rely on a common language to address and mitigate the most relevant direct and indirect pressures that humanity exerts on the ocean.

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This study deep-dives into a specific industrial sector: the fashion industry. It uses an in-depth analysis of the sustainability reports of 28 major fashion companies. The report offers a snapshot of the fashion industry’s main pressures on the environment and, more specifically, on marine ecosystems, and provides a clear view of sustainable best practices along the value chain.

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This report broadens the perspective of our analysis and contributes to better understanding global trends with regard to ocean-based sectors and other inland industries. It involves international companies, which together account for about 50% of total market capitalization and analyzes how they act in terms of environmental sustainability. The research maps their level of awareness and action on issues related to the preservation of marine environments.

This report is focused on how companies can contribute to the sustainability of the Mediterranean Sea. The research extends the traditional boundaries of analysis in order to include not only the direct, but also the indirect pressures determined by production and consumption activities on marine and coastal ecosystems.