Background The Mar Piccolo is a coastal basin extending over more than 20 km2 to the north of the city of Taranto (Puglia). It is characterised by the presence of many plant and animal species, a reason for which it has been recognised as an environmental priority area within the Habitats Directive. Its importance for the national fishing industry has also been acknowledged. However, the basin has been affected by the intense industrialisation of the city of Taranto. As a result, in 1998, the government classified this area as of "high environmental risk", and in 2001, Taranto was included in the "National Programme for environmental remediation and restoration". The intensive industrialisation has caused severe pollution to the basin: both the marine waters and the seabed are contaminated by heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These pollutants, located mainly in the superficial layers of the sediment and as such easily spreadable, have affected not only the biodiversity of the basin but also the aquaculture activities, with significant damage to this economic sector. Due to this critical situation, the Italian government set up a steering committee in 2012 involving all relevant stakeholders to define urgent restoration measures. Objectives The main objective of the Life4MarPiccolo project is the ecological restoration of Mar Piccolo in Taranto, through the recovery of a contaminated portion of the seabed and seawater. Specific project objectives are to: Restore approx. 3 000 square metres of the basin using a purification pilot plant, based on membrane microfiltration, to reduce contamination of PCBs, PAHs and heavy metals on the seabed and, consequently, in the water column above - reaching concentrations within the limits set by existing national and Community legislation; Provide the authorities in charge of the basin with tools for the sustainable management of marine areas, with the help of an intervention protocol for the environmental recovery of Italian and European coastal marine sites with pollution problems similar to those of the Mar Piccolo; and to Define a diagnostic kit for assessing the quality of marine waters. Expected results: The design, construction and operation of an energy-efficient pilot plant based on membrane microfiltration techniques for marine water and sediment decontamination; The purification of water and sediments in compliance with current environmental limits and, in particular, a 100% reduction of PCBs, PAHs and heavy metals in seabed sediment; The reclamation of an area of c. 3 000 square metres of seabed free of bioavailable pollutants; The development of a molecular diagnostic kit for assessing marine water quality; and The development of an intervention protocol to clean up Italian and European coastal waters with similar environmental pollution problems.