Area marina protetta Isola dell'Asinara, Marine protected area in Porto Torres, Italy

The Isola dell'Asinara Marine Protected Area was established in 2002 and covers 10,732 hectares of sea around the island, with 79.64 km of coastline, all within the municipality of Porto Torres. It is divided into three zones: Zone A, integral reserve, between Punta dello Scorno and Punta del Porco and off Cala di Scombro; Zone B, general reserve, between Punta Salippi and Punta Barbarossa; Zone C, partial reserve, along the coasts.

The protected area's founding decrees for the national park, park authority and marine reserve were issued in 2002. Its prehistory began in 1967 with a Porto Torres conference on returning the island to the town while the prison still operated; a 1984 international parks congress and a 1988 bill to transfer the island from state property to Sardinia followed. The prison closed on 31 December 1997.

The marine reserve contains three distinct protection zones, each maintaining different levels of preservation for marine life and geological formations.

Access to the area is by boat from the ports of Porto Torres and Stintino, and advance booking is wise. Guided tours are available, and arranging them ahead of time helps secure your spot.

The reserve is split into three zones: Zone A is a strict integral reserve off Punta dello Scorno and Punta del Porco, plus two central stretches; Zone B, a general reserve, rings almost the whole island between Punta Salippi and Punta Barbarossa; Zone C, a partial reserve, encircles the coasts. Surveillance is run by Sardinia's forestry corps from Cala d'Oliva.