Regional observatory of the marine and terrestrial biodiversity of Sicily region

The Regional Observatory for Biodiversity in Sicily is promoted as part of the Italian National Strategy for Biodiversity, approved in October 2010, which in turn follows up on the commitment that Italy has made with the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity of 1994. The project aimed at establishing the Observatory for Biodiversity in Sicily was born through the signing of a Framework Program Agreement between the Territory and Environment Department of the Sicilian Region, ISPRA, CNR and Arpa Sicily ( D.D.G. of the Environment Department of the Sicilian Region n.342 of 10 June 2011) .The Program Agreement, signed on 11 May 2011 for a duration of 5 years, assumes the objectives indicated by the National Strategy for the Observatory the purposes of conservation, enhancement and protection of biodiversity identified at regional level, in particular:

Recognition and collection of knowledge on regional biodiversity starting from available data and information and preparation of related databases on habitats and species;
Implementation of research projects aimed at improving monitoring techniques, and managing data and information on regional biodiversity;
Updating of the knowledge framework on the values of biodiversity existing in the Region through the integrated information system SINA - SIRA-SIARPAS;
Collaboration with research bodies and universities in the Mediterranean area for the development of knowledge related to the understanding and protection of the biodiversity of the Sicilian territory and promotion of a coordination network between the Sicilian reserves, parks and protected land and marine areas, for the long-term data collection and planning of integrated interventions, aimed at the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity;
Implementation of communication, information and environmental education strategies to support the activities of the Observatory using the regional NETWORK made up of the InFEA Territorial Laboratories (Parks, Nature Reserves and Regional Provinces);
Support and scientific advice to public administrations for the development of planning and intervention tools capable of guaranteeing effective management of habitats, species and ecosystem services and adequate action to combat the loss of regional biodiversity, in compliance with community directives.

The implementation of the Framework Program Agreement was entrusted by the Environment Department of the Sicilian Region to the signatories of the agreement itself, through the definition of a plan of interventions and the development of several specific projects.

In particular, the project entrusted to ISPRA, whose implementation is overseen by the Technical Scientific Structure of Palermo, starting from January 2014, aims to classify Sicilian marine biodiversity, with particular regard to protected or endangered species according to the various conventions and international directives (CITES, BERN, SPA / BIO, HABITAT, UCCELLI, Reg (CE) 967 of 2006; Reg. (CE) 43 of 2009, ACCOBAMS, REG. 812/2001) and analyze the gaps present, identifying research priorities for the future.

At the same time, the project aims to acquire new data useful for formulating management plans for existing marine protected areas and for planning new conservation actions, also taking charge of the dissemination of the results achieved.

The ISPRA project is divided into 4 Work Packages: in summary, the first of these aims to collect existing data on marine biodiversity, relating to the distribution of species; through the second WP all the data collected will be processed and the existing information gaps identified, which will be filled through the activities envisaged in the third WP. Finally, the fourth WP provides for the implementation of activities aimed at disseminating the activities carried out and the results obtained