The Miramare MPA

Welcome to the Marine Protected Area of Miramare, an oasis of marine biodiversity on the outskirts of the city of Trieste. It lies at the foot of Miramare Park and Castle, at the heart of a Biosphere Reserve, which is recognized by UNESCO for its harmonious coexistence between Man and Nature.

The Miramare Marine Park was created in 1973 under state concession by the Trieste Harbour Master’s Office to WWF Italy. The Miramare Marine Reserve was later officially established in 1986 by a decree from the Ministry of the Environment, this ensured the continuity of its management by entrusting it to the WWF Italy Onlus Association (DM. (ministerial decree) 12 November 1986). It was the first marine protected area to be established in Italy along with that of Ustica, a small Italian Island in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Today the Miramare MPA has the guardianship of 30 hectares of marine-coastal biodiversity, which is under its complete protection. There are also a further 90 hectares of buffer zone that was established in 1955 by order of the Port Authority, in order to defend the core area from night fishing using fishing lights. This was a popular activity in the Gulf of Trieste at that time and posed a risk to the whole reserve.