Professional fishing in the Italian MPAs is generally allowed, provided that it is artisanal and carried out by resident fishermen only. Approximately 30% of Italian fishing, as far as small-scale coastal fishing is concerned, also operates within MPAs. However, small professional fishing in MPAs, if properly managed, is a sustainable activity that uses a renewable source of energy to maintain the socio-cultural structure of the region, contribute to the local economy and attract cultural tourism, without exerting particularly negative effects on the environment.