L'Area Marina Protetta di Portofino

The Marine Protected Area of ​​Portofino interested in the coastline of the promontory between Punta pedal, in the municipality of Santa Margherita, up to Camogli.

The marine area has a wide variety of environments thanks to the particular climatic and geomorphological.

The submerged part of the Portofino follows the trend that emerged, with steep walls that finish even at over 50 m deep. The numerous cracks and fissures in the rocks have allowed the formation of spectacular views, characterized by a reduction in light intensity, which is easy to observe colonies of Corallium rubrum, red coral, once the subject of an indiscriminate collection, but now protected thanks to 'Marine Protected Area and the regulation of diving.
On these walls so you can observe the marine population known as "coral", 1'associazione biological which is localized between 20 and 40 m deep characterized by large expanses of sea fans of red, white and yellow. At greater depths, where it begins the scree slope and muddy, you can admire two other species of sea fans, rarer than the previous broad sea fan and Leptogorgia sarmentosa.
Among the valuable marine populations are also recalled Posidonia oceanic habitats protected by Directive 92/43.

You can practice diving leaning numerous Diving Center that are found in various coastal towns.
One of the most fascinating diving is one of the Secca dell'Isuela, a rocky outcrop which rises a short distance from the coast in front of Punta Chiappa. The Secca is located in Zone B
the Marine, which are forbidden to anchor free, motor boats, mooring unregulated, underwater fishing, and allowed visits diving tours.
The offshoot mountain rises from a depth of 45 m from the surface up to 13 and you can see amberjack, snapper and tuna which, in the season of step, leap on the benches of anchovies found in abundance near the shoal.
The appeal, however, the most interesting as far as nature is rich walls that plunge into the blue, completely colonized by sea fans.