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These incentives are envisaged by several legislative tools which aim at creating opportunities and
alternative livelihoods based on the valorisation and sustainable use of natural and cultural resources.
In the Egadi MPA they involve the sectors of fishing (pescaturismo), tourism and green energy. As
regards the latter sector, some interviewed stakeholders expressed the idea of transforming the Egadi
in “Ecological Islands” characterized by the use of renewable energy. Following to the incentives
provided by the sectoral legislation, a project entitled “Sole e stelle delle Egadi” (Sun and stars of the
Egadi) has been funded by the Ministry of the Environment with the aim of knocking down carbon
dioxide emissions and save more than 5 million KWh energy. This project meets both the priority
objective and that of generating sustainable income for local people (http://www.tuttogreen.it/isole-
egadi-il-futuro-eco-sostenibile-e-adesso).
However these incentives are not still fully utilized due mainly to lack of information and divulgation
and to the complex bureaucracy.

Interpretative incentives

I1 Using maps (paper or digital) for displaying boundaries, zones for different activities and related
regulatory restrictions to support awareness and implementation of management measures related to
the priority objective (Tab.1, points 1, 16).
I2 Promoting recognition of the potential resource development benefits resulting from the
achievement of the priority objective, whilst being realistic about such potential benefits and not
‘over-selling’ them, eg displaying development zones to potential developers and investors, potential
internal and spillover/export benefits of MPAs (Tab. 1- points 1, 16)
I3 Promoting recognition of the biodiversity and ecosystem conservation-restoration benefits of spatial
restrictions (Tab.1, points 2, 11, 15, 16; Tab.2, points 4, 6, 10).

These interpretative incentives are neither well implemented nor organized in an integrated way.
During the interviews some stakeholders involved in tourist services stated that many tourists are not
aware of the MPA. They also said that online information is poor and that MPA regulations are
complex and incomprehensible to foreign visitors since they are in Italian. The same interviewees
reported the lack of an integrated approach to the divulgation of hard-copy or digital source
information, which is mainly concentrated in the MPA offices. Also the tourist information kiosk has
no sufficient informative literature to distribute to tourists for promoting and explaining the
importance of complying with MPA restrictions. The absence of an efficient and integrated
information network on the MPA regulations hampers the awareness and implementation of
management measures related to the priority objective. For these reasons interpretative incentives
should be enhanced.

5.3 Knowledge incentives
K5 Maximising scientific knowledge to guide/inform decision-making and monitoring/evaluation in
relation to the priority objective. (Tab.1, points 1, 16; Tab.2, point 1).
As clearly highlighted by interviewed researchers, research organizations (namely, C.N.R. and local
universities) have been rarely requested by MPA managers to carry out monitoring/assessment studies
that can contribute to the increase of ecological knowledge, which can be used in management and
decision-making. Research outcomes in the shape of technical reports are sent to the management
body for an evaluation by the MPA committee. Conferences or thematic meetings have been
sometimes organized to spread the results of scientific investigations. Most interviewed stakeholders
recognized the importance of scientific knowledge for an efficient management of the MPA but they
complained that scientific reports are often not properly released and are hard to understand for
decision-makers who are not accustomed to such type of documents. As a result stakeholders do not
know what are the effects of protection and which benefits could be used to improve they activity.
Another common stakeholder perception was a lower “weight” of research if compared to economic
and political priorities in the decision-making process.

5.4 Legal incentives

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