The monitoring of fish communities of sandy and muddy bottoms of the Marine Park is carried out by experimental fishing, using local vessels in collaboration with commercial fishermen. Fishing is done with trammel nets, and individuals are released alive after capture. Experimental fishing campaigns usually take place in spring and autumn. These campaings aim to estimate the abundance, length and biomass of fish, comparing the three levels of protection of the Marine Park over time, thus allowing to evaluate the result of the protection provided by the Marine Park.
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Using a technique where the diver identifies and counts the species he sees during a predefined underwater course, it is possible to quantify and characterize the marine biodiversity that exists in the different protected areas of the Marine Park. This technique, called visual census, has been used since the creation of the Marine Park and within the scope of the BIOMARES Program. Over the years, the repetition of visual census allowed comparing the evolution of populations and drawing conclusions about the protective effect that the park offers.
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Along with the transplant work that has been carried out to recover biodiversity, monitoring studies are also taking place in natural kelp forests and in "gorgonians gardens" within the Marine Park and in seagrass meadowns in the Sado estuary. These monitoring activities are important to assess whether the distribution of these important habitats suffer changes over time.
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