Ecoballe retrieved there is a proposal for compensation for fishermen

Piombino, the measure proposed by the extraordinary commissioner Caligiore: «How the biological arrest is an action to protect the sea»

PIOMBINO. There is a pact between those who live on fishing and those who are called to defuse the ecological bomb that for more than four years has been triggered in the waters of the Gulf of Follonica. The extraordinary commissioner of the Government, rear admiral Aurelio Caligiore, for the recovery and disposal of the cargo dispersed by the IVY cargo in July 2015, proposes it to the captains of the Tornado and Cesarina vessels who have become protagonists of the latest ecoballe recoveries: each 1. 300 kilos of plastic pieces reduced to pieces, then aggregated in large compacted blocks with metal straps and layers of plastic film.

The idea is to recognize economic compensation for taking care of the marine habitat. "The philosophy is that which is followed for the biological cessation of fishing activity, which in fact is an action to protect the marine habitat", says the extraordinary commissioner.

On paper there are also the figures: 2 thousand euros for fishing boats up to 25 tons and 3 thousand for larger ones. All starting from the parameters set for the biological shutdown for the navies of Piombino, Portoferraio and Castiglione della Pescaia. "I have undertaken to request the admissibility of a measure of this kind from the State Attorney and the Court of Auditors – says Caligiore -. The fishermen who work in the Gulf of Follonica are the commissioner's best allies. I warmly thank them all, one by one ».

To date, net of the ecoballs that have been stranded the most that have been brought back to earth by the fishermen. Recoveries occurred during trawling in the waters of the Gulf of Follonica. While sailing, the nets realize the unexpected. The plastic load is in the bag. But instead of sending him back to the sea, they warn the Coast Guard and transport him to port. In order of time, on the morning of November 6th, an ecoballah ended up in the net of the fishing boat Cesarina, based in Piombino. Eight days later, it was the third to return to the surface and recovered. The previous one ended up in the Tornado fishing boats on October 29th, another on the morning of October 23rd it was beached at Perelli 1.

"Everything tells us we must hurry, we are on the brink of environmental damage – says Rear Admiral Caligiore -. On the activity that the Environment Minister has been entrusted with Sergio Costa asks for continuous updates ». The search at sea, which began in mid-October, aimed to locate 44 ecoballs. From the initial bill of 56, in fact, the twelve that in recent years have been recovered must be removed. But the number is the result of an estimate. The starting point is the average weight of 1,300 kilos of each ecoballa. Now the search has been restricted to 41. It involves establishing the geographical coordinates and the depth to which each of the ecoballs is located, as well as providing clear indications of the state of conservation with video footage. Phase that will resume as soon as the sea conditions allow it. –