What the Natura 2000 network is
The Natura 2000 network is the largest network of protected natural areas in Europe. It was created by the countries of the European Union to look after the continent’s most valuable places together.
It is not a single park. It is thousands of sites spread across every country. Some are on land, such as forests and mountains. Others are at sea, such as the strip we sail through.
The idea is simple. There are habitats and animals that do not understand borders. To protect them properly, every country needs to pull in the same direction.
What it means when you sail with us
When we head out to sea, we sail through an area that belongs to this European network. That is not a decoration for a brochure. It is a responsibility.
It means the environment is studied and monitored. And it means that those of us who work here must do so carefully, respecting the life that inhabits it.
For us it fits naturally with how we understand the sea. We do not see it as a product to be exploited. We see it as a living place that must be left just as we found it, or better.
That is why we head out with small groups and at a calm pace. Fewer noisy boats and less rush help these areas remain what the network seeks to protect.
How it is decided what joins the network
A place does not join the Natura 2000 network because it is beautiful. It joins because it holds habitats or species that Europe considers a priority to conserve.
The countries study the land and the sea, identify those values and propose the sites. They are then officially designated and conservation measures are applied to them.
The Teno-Rasca Marine Strip meets those requirements thanks to its marine wildlife, including its cetaceans. That is the sea beneath your keel when you sail with us.
