Beekeeper Simone Molinari Launches Experimental ‘Sea Honey’ Project on Bergeggi Island

Beekeeping entrepreneur Simone Molinari from Castelletto Uzzone has fully realized his vision for a unique ‘sea honey’ project by 2026. The venture represents a complex logistical operation involving the transport of beehives from the Alta Langa hills to the Bergeggi Marine Protected Area, located on an uninhabited islet just 200 meters off the Ligurian coast.

Bergeggi Island, which is part of a marine reserve established by decree on May 7, 2007, is a limestone cone covered in Mediterranean scrub. As part of this experimental initiative, the bees benefit from a diverse diet, gathering nectar from the island’s pristine flora as well as the rich Mediterranean vegetation on the mainland. The 200-meter distance between the island and the coast is easily spanned by honeybees, whose typical foraging radius of approximately 3 kilometers allows them to feed in both areas. This activity is designed to serve as a symbol of coastal biodiversity, utilizing an ideal ecosystem to maintain honeybee health.

Implementing the initiative required close cooperation between several key stakeholders. The project involved the island's owners, the Zunino family, the Municipality of Bergeggi, and the Marine Reserve Management—led and directed by Davide Virzi—alongside Tommaso Biazza, president of the Savona Yacht Club. The management of the marine reserve, temporarily entrusted to the Municipality of Bergeggi, is responsible for issuing diving, fishing, and navigation permits, among other duties.

Beyond its immediate honey production, the project carries a distinct educational and environmental mission. It is intended to serve as a tool for environmental education, highlighting the unbreakable bond between humanity, nature, and the local territory. Simone Molinari, the young owner of Azienda Agricola Molinari—established in 2021 in Castelletto Uzzone—has already earned recognition for his work, notably receiving an award from Coldiretti and Codacons in Rome in July 2024. This project elevates beekeeping beyond a purely productive function, transforming it into a means of spreading knowledge, protection, and respect for the environment.

Liguria as a whole maintains a strong connection with honey as a natural product, with roughly 70% of the 30,000 hives in the region supporting a trade involving approximately 2,500 beekeepers. Local producers face the challenge of cheap foreign honey imports, which are often found to be adulterated despite EU transparency requirements regarding origin. In contrast, Molinari’s initiative focuses on authenticity and quality, leveraging the region's unique geography where sharp changes in altitude contribute to nectar diversity. The hives were moved in stages—first by van, then by hand, and finally by boat—to reach a spot on the island sheltered from the wind.