A review of marine recreational fisheries research in Italy

In Italy, marine recreational fishing is a remarkably popular activity with a long tradition, but it is only recently that scientific research interest in this field has gained momentum. To date, research on marine recreational fishing in Italy have explored different dimensions. Such as monitoring spearfishing tournaments, assessing potential impacts on benthic organisms, comparing it with artisanal fishing practices, examining its occurrence within marine protected areas, and investigating its social, economic, and ecological implications. Marine recreational fishing can have significant impact on ecological, social, and economic spheres. Thus, there is a need for an integrated approach that considers an ecosystem perspective in resource management and monitoring. The goal of this paper is to consolidate research findings related to marine recreational fishing in Italy, identifying knowledge gaps and potential areas for future research. To achieve this, we conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed papers on the topic, categorizing each paper into five sections: (i) spearfishing tournaments; (ii) effects of recreational fishing on benthic organisms; (iii) recreational and artisanal fisheries; (iv) recreational fishing and marine protected areas; (v) social and ecological aspects of marine recreational fishing. Subsequently, we synthetized the key findings of each paper and drew overall conclusions for each section. The landscape of marine recreational fishing is continuously evolving worldwide, and we aim for this review to elucidate the progress made thus far in Italy, provide new research perspectives, and encourage further research, monitoring efforts, and to strength collaboration with national and international stakeholders.