Marsala of Motya, an ancient Phoenician town. The modern name likely derived from the Arabic مَرْسَى عَلِيّ (marsā ʿaliyy, “Ali's harbor”), or possibly مَرْسَى اللّٰه (marsā llāh, “God's harbor”). Situated at the extreme western point of Sicily, the town was founded on Lilibeo Cape from where the Aegadian Islands and the Stagnone Lagoon can be seen. The territory of Marsala, , has a rich cultural and landscape heritage; its area includes the Stagnone Lagoon, a Natural Reserve in which is located the island of Mozia. The city of Marsala had a population of about 86,000 until the end of 1970, when
Tyuleny Island (Sea of Okhotsk) hunted on the island between 1854 and 1897. Over 100,000 were caught, with over half being taken by foreign vessels illegally. This led to the seizure of several schooners by Russian men-of-war in 1884 and 1891 and the arrest of a party of seventeen men left by a British vessel in 1895. There are many seals on Tyuleny's shores and in its surrounding waters, hence its name which means "seal" in the Russian language. It was formerly called "Robben Island" from the Dutch name for seal. In the spring and summer seabirds nest on the island, including crested, parakeet and