The headquarters of the Mediterranean's only marine mammal sanctuary has opened in the northwest Italian port city of Genoa.
The office, located in the prestigious, 15th-century Palazzo Ducale, is home to a team of experts headed by the sanctuary's permanent secretary, Philippe Robert of France.
The sanctuary, which stretches for over 10 square kilometres in international waters, was set up by Italy, France and Monaco in order to protect and encourage the growth of dolphins, whales and other marine life.
The decision to locate the headquarters in Italy was reached 16 months ago but the office only opened officially this week.
The sanctuary's scientific committee will set up home in Monaco.
Italian Environment Minister Alfonso Pecorario Scanio expressed delight at the news, revealing that Italy was in talks with Tunisia and Malta to create a second sanctuary.
"This is part of the government's new commitment not only to the dolphin sanctuary but also to a new policy on the Mediterranean in general," he said.
"There are 150 kilometres of sea between Sicily and Tunisia, which is used by many cetaceans and petrol tankers - around 300 a day," he said.
"The Mediterranean is an extremely precious resource, not only for its biodiversity but also in many other aspects, such as its civilizations, its archaeological sites and its food traditions".
Bordering the coasts of Provence, Montecarlo, Liguria, Corsica and Sardinia, the sanctuary's endpoints are Toulon in southern France, Capo Falcone in western Sardinia and Fosso Chiarore on the west coast of Italy.
The area has long had a natural cetaceous population far greater than that elsewhere in the Mediterranean, prompting Italy to formally propose the idea of a sanctuary in 1998.
The three states drew up an accord in 1999, which was ratified by Italy the same year. This was followed by approval of a management program in 2004.
As well as fishing and shipping restrictions, the governments concerned are also seeking to monitor and limit pollution levels through a series of public and private initiatives.
The Italian environment ministry has described the area as a haven for marine mammals.
It boasts thousands of whales - including fin whales, sperm whales and long-finned pilot whales - and over 25,000 dolphins, lured by an abundance of food, such as micro-organisms, plankton and krill, small, shrimp-like crustaceans that are particularly popular with marine mammals.
