Background The bottle-nosed dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is an endangered marine species included in Annex II of the Habitats Directive. This dolphin and other cetaceans, such as the striped dolphin Stenella striata and the fin whale Balaenoptera physalus, are frequently found in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea (part of the Mediterranean Sea off of the western coast of Italy). In 1999, the governments of Italy, France and Monaco declared the area an “International Sanctuary for Cetaceans”, the first supranational “park” in the northern hemisphere dedicated to the protection of the cetaceans. However, the area is also crossed by important trade and tourist routes, and boat traffic, in particular speed boats, has a negative impact on the dolphins and the other cetaceans. Intensive fishing and competition for fish from dolphins has contributed to a negative attitude towards these animals, which are sometimes accidentally captured in fishnets. A more recent problem is whale watching, which disturbs both whales and dolphins. Acoustic and chemical pollution of the waters are other threats, but their impact on the dolphin is still unclear. Objectives The objective of the project, presented by a private marine research consortium, was to improve the coexistence between cetaceans and human activity within the Cetacean Sanctuary. The project sought to promote enforcement of specific agreements with shipping companies and, together with fishermen, draw up guidelines for sustainable fishing. To prevent accidental captures of dolphins, the beneficiary intended to apply acoustic deterrents to fishnets over an equivalent of 100 km. A database on cetaceans and on the organisations involved in their protection was to be set up and published on the internet, in order to increase knowledge and understanding of the species and related problems. Fishermen were to be involved in data collection and offered a series of training courses. These were to be aimed at raising awareness of problems affecting the species and at preventing or reducing damages caused by cetaceans. An information bureau was to be set up and educational activities were to be held in schools. Sustainable whale watching was also to be promoted and a code of conduct for operators drawn up. Results The project involved some 20 fishermen's associations in the three Italian regions located within the boundaries of the International Cetacean Sanctuary "Pelagos" (Liguria, Tuscany, Sardinia) in the use of acoustic devices on 100 km of nets. Although the use of such deterrent devices to avoid accidental interactions with dolphins and damage to fishing nets is still to be proven, this action certainly contributed to raising the fishermen's awareness of this issue. One of the project's main outputs is, in fact, a document entitled "Guidelines for the management of fisheries to be integrated within the Sanctuary's Cetacean Conservation Plan". Another action focused on whale watching tourism operations. This included an inventory of operators, some of whom were actively involved in the establishment of a "code of behaviour" to be applied by all operators. However, the regulatory aspect of this action still needs to be addressed by the administration of the International Sanctuary. A database was established, on the main cetacean-related issues in the sanctuary (research institutions, whale-watching operators, an extensive collection of scientific references, shipping companies, cetacean data, etc.). A number of information and dissemination initiatives were carried out for the fishermen, the schools, public administrations and the general public. An excellent handbook on cetaceans was produced, as well as a leaflet, a DVD, a website (www.lifecetacei.org) and a mobile exhibition.