MPA / InfrastructureTorre dello Spalmatore

The tower was built in 1763, together with another on the Island, to guard enemies and protect the citizens. The Tower is located in the northwestern part of the Island, close to the no-take zone. It was renovated in 1996 and it is considered the symbol of the MPA. Inside the Tower, the MPA has office space, mostly for meetings, workshops and exhibitions. There is also a library and space for education and outreach activities.

Aquarium

Located on the beach, within the Port area (Cala Santa Maria), the Aquarium was built where once the local fishermen used to store fishing gear and nets. The shape of the Aquarium resembles that of the bow of a ship. On the inside, the structure presents 6 large tanks of about 2.2m in height. Five of these tanks are aligned in front of the visitor’s entrance for a full width of 13 m. Each tank is about 18cm and can contain up to 18.000 litres of water. Each tank recall the Mediterranean marine environment, with the most common habitats that can be found in the waters around Ustica. The Aquarium was built for scientific research and environmental awareness.

Marine Laboratory

The MPA has a small marine laboratory that is frequently used by scientist, researchers and students. The laboratory has both wet and dry space, simply equipment for marine science, including a furnace, centrifuge, binoculars, etc.

Info Point

The info point is located on the town square (Piazza Umberto I) and it is the operational center of the MPA during the summer season. The Info Point is open for tourists looking for information, material, gathering. At the Info Point, all the local producers, providers, etc make their product and services known. During the summer, the Info Point is often used for exhibitions, seminars, meetings, etc.