The second largest marine protected area in Italy, designated in 1999, combines the peninsula of Sinis and the island of “Mal de Ventre”, or bad wind. Peninsula of Sinis is on the west coast of Sardinia. It is 99 square miles, has 15 miles of coastline, much of it stunning beaches, and relatively small amount designated as Zone A, no access or fishing (2 square miles) or as Zone B, limited access and fishing (4 square miles). Numerous Greek and Phoenician ruins, including burial sites, line the coast of the marine protected area. Also, it receives thousands of visitors daily during the summer, placing beaches and beach dune communities at extreme risk.
