The Venetian Lagoon has a surface area of around 550 square kilometres (212 square miles), including Venice itself and many smaller islands. About 11% is permanently covered by open water, or canals,  while around 80% consists of mud flats, tidal shallows and salt marshes.  The Lagoon is the largest wetland in the Mediterranean Basin and provides a unique, yet highly fragile, natural ecosystem where endemic species and traditional fishing practices compete against invasive creatures and modern harvesting techniques.  These images attempt to capture the quiet beauty and delicate state of an environment under threat.