Events and News

ISPRA experts coordinators of supporting scientific groups of International Maritime Organization

The last meeting of the scientific groups that, within the International Maritime Organization, support the implementation of the Convention and the London Protocol by the signatory states of these agreements, took place in virtual mode from March 28 to 1 last April.

Sustainable aquaculture as the engine of the blue economy

The workshop, organized by the Liguria Region, will be an opportunity to discuss the Community lines for aquaculture in Europe and the new perspectives in Italy. The day will also present a round table dedicated to the experiences gained in the field by companies that are attentive to sustainability.

Available online the new number of PRUE

PRUE 1 2022 is online. The bulletin includes information on the European Union's funding programs, ongoing projects, activities of the European Union and international bodies in the field of sea and water.

Seminar for the 30th anniversary of the Natura 2000 Network and the LIFE Program

2022 is a special year as we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of both the European Natura 2000 Network and the LIFE programme, born on the same day, the 21st of May 1992.

World Earth Day: guided robots to probe the depths of the sea are supplied to ISPRA

On the occasion of World Earth Day, Sky TG24 broadcast a service on marine robotics thanks to which ISPRA researchers work every day to unravel the mysteries of the underwater world.

Tales of Biodiversity - The sea

In this third episode in the world of biodiversity, Jacopo would like to have information on the marine ecosystem and meets the marine biologist Cecilia Silvestri, who has been dealing with microplastics and the protection of sea turtles for years. Starting from the story of the little turtle Carrie, we wonder about the conditions in which our seas, the inhabitants who populate it and what concrete actions we can do to protect it.

OnePeopleOnePlanet

Scientists (and) mad
On the occasion of World Earth Day, April 22nd, the third edition of #OnePeopleOnePlanet - The Multimedia Marathon will take place, the event born in 2020 in time of pandemic, which has now become one of the most significant appointments for the protection of the planet in Italy. It consists of 13 hours of television relay carried out in the framework of an impressive media partnership with RAI, which will broadcast the live broadcast of the event on the RaiPlay digital channel, involving the best journalists and some live programs of the RAI platform, in this important advertising campaign. awareness raising.

Two ISPRA researchers will analize the research on the state of Mediterranean waters, as part of the Marine Strategy of the European Union, with interesting insights into the technological progress that robotics is bringing to submarine research.

Further information

Plastic Busters MPAs - Info Day

Plastic Busters MPAs is an Interreg Med funded project aiming to maintain biodiversity and preserve natural ecosystems in pelagic and coastal marine protected areas by consolidating Mediterranean efforts against marine litter.

Opening conference of the project "Strong Sea Life"

On April 13, 2022, the presentation conference of the STRONG SEA project - Survey and TReatment ON Ghost LIFE, a project financed under the LIFE program, priority sector Nature and Biodiversity, on funds will take place at the Municipality of Porto Torres (SS) established in the 2014-2020 programming.
It will be possible to follow the proceedings both in presence and in live streaming on the ISPRA Youtube Channel.  ISPRA Youtube Channel.
ISPRA is the project leader, together with 5 associated partners: Forestry Corps Environmental Supervision, Asinara Park - Asinara Island AMP, AGRIS Regione Sardegna, MCM Consorzio Coop Produzione Lavoro and Petra Patrimonia Corsica.
The project, which started in December 2021, will last 5 years.

The Plastic Busters MPAs - Capitalization Conference

Plastic Busters MPAs is an Interreg Med funded project aiming to maintain biodiversity and preserve natural ecosystems in pelagic and coastal marine protected areas by consolidating Mediterranean efforts against marine litter.

Sea Robot. The challenges of marine exploration

On 11 April, on the occasion of the National Day of the Sea, ISPRA will present a new documentary to tell which state-of-the-art technologies are used to study the depths of the sea today. Thanks to a series of new underwater technologies developed in recent decades, it is now possible to observe and study the seabed and what is at great depths. In the documentary you will discover what the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is, with which researchers operate at a depth of 600 meters; multibeam or multibeam sonar, side scan sonar, tecnoshark. Tools that allow us to implement what Europe asks of us: to protect at least 30% of our seas by 2030.

Presentation of the documentary

Trailer

A new buoy of the National Wave Network (RON) installed off the coast of Venice

On March 15, a new RON buoy was launched about 8 miles off the coast of Venice. The buoy was moored near the Acqua Alta Oceanographic Platform, in order to compare the wave measurements of the buoy with a sophisticated and advanced optical measurement system of the waves during storm surges of Bora and Scirocco that the CNR ISMAR of Venice has tested and exported to various international institutions

Advancing the research for the conservation of Sea Turles in the Mediterranean Sea: study on the seasonal niche of the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) in the Adriatic and Ionian seas

Although Caretta caretta is the most common marine turtle in the Mediterranean Sea, its distribution is relatively difficult to assess due to a lack of data especially in offshore waters.
To identify the key factors and the most important areas for the conservation of the species, a recent study investigated the ecological niche of the loggerhead turtle in the crucial area of ​​the Adriatic-Ionian Sea, highlighting the priorities for the species in the reproductive period of April-September and in the winter one.

Computing ship strikes and near miss events of fin whales along the main ferry routes in the Pelagos Sanctuary and adjacent west area, in summer

In the Mediterranean, collisions with large ships are considered among the main threats to the fin whale, a species considered vulnerable by the IUCN red lists for the risk of extinction in the Mediterranean.

Since 2007, a network of various entities coordinated by ISPRA (FLT Med Net),  has been studying the impacts of maritime traffic along the main sea routes in the Mediterranean, collecting data on collision or near miss events.

Final meeting of the project LIFE SE POSSO "Posidonia...and not only"

A conference talk show to talk about marine governance, Posidonia oceanica meadows to be protected and recovered, anthropogenic impacts on these protected habitats, good practices to be replicated in the Mediterranean, transparency and participation in the protection of our marine natural capital. Marine forests, blue carbon and Citizen science will also be discussed. European and national institutional authorities will participate, the main Stakeholders involved in the project, the research projects with which Life SEPOSSO has carried out a wide and heterogeneous networking activity.

The event will be moderate by Fabio Gallo of Linea Blu Tv show.

Program

Streaming live channel YouTube ISPRA 

Further information: https://lifeseposso.eu/

Presentation of the EcoAtl@nte

Finally a unique single point of access to Italian environmental data, also accompanied by stories, photos and interactive maps: ISPRA presents the EcoAtlante, the journey into the Italian environment that allows you to discover and share the highly topical issues that affect our country today .

An absolute news: the possibility of creating customized national and local maps with data, trends and SNPA percentages from the various themes.

During the presentation, the operation and the different ways of sharing maps and data will be illustrated.

Come and compose your map!

Program

EcoAtl@nte

Program

Press release (ita) 

Video EcoAtl@nte

Interview with Michele Munafò

World Seagrass Day

Underwater seagrass beds are valuable ecosystems for the oceans. They produce enormous quantities of oxygen and capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, provide food and shelter for many species and protect the beaches. Unfortunately they are strongly threatened by anthropogenic impacts and it is essential to improve the conservation and monitoring of these ecosystems around the world.

What is the impact of plastics on sea turtles?

ISPRA researchers have explained during the tv show Geo the impact of plastic on sea turtles and presented the publication “Marine Litter: looking forward a new world” e il fumetto "Carrie. A brave turtle in a changing world".

Will the abandonment of single-use plastic serve to free the Sicilian seabed from waste?

From 14 January 2022 the sale of single-use plastic products is prohibited, will this serve to improve the situation of the seabed in Sicily? How does the waste finish into the sea? How has the Italian situation changed from 2019 to today? An ISPRA researcher, guest of MedicalExcellence TV, talked about all this topic.

ISPRA's Hydro-Meteo-Sea Forecasting System: operational implementations in the environmental field, research applications and development lines

The Hydro-Meteo-Sea Forecasting System (SIMM), which became operational at the beginning of 2000, was designed with the aim of providing meteorological and meteo-marine forecasts in an area, that of the Mediterranean, characterized by the interaction of various phenomena on a range of scales ranging from km to the synoptic scale.

Blue Horizon: plastic

How is it possible that there is still so much plastic waste in the sea? Is there a solution to all of this?
Experts from CNR-IAS, ISPRA and The Great Bubble Barrier will talk tonight about these issues. In particular, an ISPRA researcher will present the policies implemented at European and national level in order to manage and solve the problem of plastic in the sea.

Published in the ‘Biodiversity and Conservation’ scientific journal the article ‘Cetacean sensitivity and threats analysis to assess effectiveness of protection measures: an example of integrated approach for cetacean conservation in the Bonifacio Bouches.’

The study investigated the effectiveness of spatial protection measures for conserving cetacean species in the Bonifacio Bouches. Cetaceans are highly mobile and eclectic species, which interact with the environment and the human activities in a complex way. To preserve their environment, a primary tool is the establishment of marine protected areas in key sites of high ecological value. 

Submarines and environmental protection: a concrete commitment in the Mediterranean through the collaboration between ISPRA and the Italian Navy

On 14 January, at the Navy General Staff, the ISPRA President, Stefano Laporta, and the Head of the 5th Submarine Department of the General Staff,  Admiral Vito Lacerenza, discussed the collaboration activities between ISPRA and the Italian Navy provided for by the memorandum of understanding signed in December 2019. The agreement aims to strengthen synergies for the protection of the marine environment and, in this context, a significant contribution can also come from the monitoring of marine habitats through the acoustic sensors of submarines. ISPRA and the Navy also collaborate in the development of Artificial Intelligence algorithms for the classification of anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic noise. The close collaboration with ISPRA has also allowed the inclusion of a submarine officer, as an expert in the sector, in the Technical Group on Underwater Noise established under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive aimed at protecting the seas of the European Union. The new generation submarines, thanks to a range of technologically advanced sensors, in addition to ensuring deterrence, safety and protection of national interests in the Mediterranean, contribute to scientific research and the protection of the marine environment.

Project STRONG SEA - Survey and TReatment ON Ghost Nets Sea LIFE

ISPRA is coordinator of the project started in December 2021. Strong Sea is funded under the LIFE program, priority area Nature and Biodiversity, on the funds established in the 2014-2020 programming. The aim of the project is to protect and improve the conservation status of Posidonia oceanica and Coralligenous habitats, both included in Directive 92/43 / EEC (Habitat Directive) and in the Natura 2000 network of sites.
The affected area is the Gulf of Asinara and the North West coast of Sardinia.

Project LIFE CONCEPTU Maris "CONservation of CEtaceans and Pelagic sea TUrtles in Med: Managing Actions for their Recovery In Sustainability"

The LIFE CONCEPTU Maris project, formulated more than a year ago, started on 10 January, based on the awareness that the Mediterranean Sea is undergoing serious changes due to growing anthropogenic pressures.
On this front, cetaceans and pelagic sea turtles, among the most charismatic and important species of our seas, risk a lot in terms of conservation.

Costa Concordia: 10 years after the shipwreck, the analysis on the environmental restoration of the seabed

On 13 January 2012, in the waters of the Giglio Island, the cruise ship Costa Concordia sank in a tragic event, which cost the lives of 32 people, and also caused considerable damage to the coastal environment, especially to the seabed.

Damage determined by the presence of the wreck and by the site activities, necessary to remove and move it away; in addition to the damage caused by harmful substances the ship was loaded with: fuel, heavy oils, paints and detergents.
An Observatory was set up to monitor the proper conduct of operations, whose work is still ongoing and in which representatives of the MiTE, ISPRA, Arpa Toscana and the local authorities involved participate.
The restoration works carried out so far have been more successful than expected. Removed the causes of the loss of posidonia, the transplants carried out in 2016 have shown a doubling of the number of transplanted beams, just as those carried out since 2019 seem to have a similar outcome. Similarly for the gorgonians, the high survival and healing rates have meant that some rock faces have regained their original three-dimensionality and are approaching their natural condition.

Concordia. Photographic report from the removal of the wreck to the restoration of the damaged marine environments

Video: the environmental emergencies at sea: the case of  “Costa Concordia”

Photo gallery

Web site MiTE

ISPRA publication “Marine Litter: looking forward a new world"

As part of the INDICIT I and II Projects, Ispra has produced the publication "Marine Litter: looking forward a new world", the result of a selection of photographic material collected in over four years of project activity together with an environmental awareness comic.

PNRR: MiTE-ISPRA protocol signed for the restoration of the seabed and marine habitats

400 million euros for interventions in favor of the sustainable blue economy
With the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the MiTE and ISPRA, the M2C4-3.5 investment of the PNRR "Restoration and protection of the seabed and marine habitats" can be carried out, which will allow to the Country to strengthen the observation capacities of marine ecosystems and implement a recovery and restoration campaign of marine habitats degraded by anthropogenic pressure.

Use of biopolymers in sea water

A cutting-edge project for environmental sustainability
A net consisting of a bioplastic identified thanks to a project started in 2016 by A.S.A. was installed in a tank of the Livorno Aquarium. SpA (Azienda Servizi Ambientali SpA) in cooperation with the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering of the University of Pisa, to which ISPRA and the Department of Biology of the University of Pisa subsequently joined, in 2019 the Livorno Aquarium and more recently, the textile company Coatyarn Srl.
It is a network made with technology designed by Coatyarn Srl using a biodegradable bioplastic in the sea, suitable for creating reforestation plants of Posidonia oceanica meadows.

Progetto H2020 EuroSea conference

Funded by the European Commission's research and innovation program, the EuroSea Project, of which ISPRA is a partner, supports the flagship initiative of the G7 countries on the future of seas and oceans.