Marine scientist lies in wait as poachers strip Italy's seabed of purple sea urchins

Marine scientist lies in wait as poachers strip Italy's seabed of purple sea urchins

A protected stretch of coastline in southern Italy became the focus of an overnight watch when a marine scientist tracked a recurring problem on surveillance footage: sea urchin poachers entering the reserve after dark. The case illustrates how a prized seafood delicacy can drive ecological damage and leave legal fishers facing steeper losses. What happened? In May, Maurizio Simeone, who leads the Marine Protected Area Gaiola Underwater Park nea…