Proceedings of the International Workshop on Red Coral Science , Management , and Trade : Lessons from the Mediterranean

In this study, data gathered from several fields are presented in order to give an historical and actual picture of the status of the red coral resource in Sardinian seas. A review of historical data is provided and the first picture of spatial distribution and genetic structure of red coral populations in deep waters of Sardinian seas (below 80 meters) are illustrated. The historical analysis shows that no variation occurred in mean yields/boats in the last four centuries, suggesting that the amount of red coral in Sardinian seas is not decreased with time, differently from what observed in other parts of the Mediterranean. Analyses carried out from 2007 to 2008, through ROV surveys and samplings of entire colonies, highlight that the populations show dimensions (> 80% with maximum height > 6 cm) able to ensure the reproductive potential needed for their survival. Finally, strong genetic heterogeneity was measured between Sardinian samples and corals from other western Mediterranean localities (e.g. Corsica and Sicily). High level of genetic differentiation was found even among Sardinian samples, over different spatial scales from hundreds to less than 1 km. In conclusion, the strong genetic structuring found, confirms the need for management plans and conservation programs to be locally defined. Moreover, all historical, population structure and genetic data coherently indicate that the harvesting effort should not be increased, and the actual Sardinian management plan, enacted by the regional administration, seems to be effective in protecting the resource from overexploitation. However, the strict respect of this regulation is binding to ensure an optimal balance between harvesting and reproductive rate and hence allow the long term persistence of the species.