LIFE Conceptu Maris
Among the national and international partners: ISPRA – Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, as coordinating beneficiary; CIMA Foundation – International Centre for Environmental Monitoring; the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change Foundation (CMCC); EcoOcéan Institut; the Marine Protected Area of Capo Carbonara; the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station; the University of Milano-Bicocca; the University of Palermo; the University of Turin and the Universitat de València.
The project was formulated on the awareness that the Mediterranean Sea is undergoing serious changes due to increasing anthropogenic pressures. Cetaceans and pelagic sea turtles are among the most charismatic and important species of our seas and crucial bioindicators of their health conditions, as their well-being reflects the integrity of the food web in all its components.
With their offshore movements, these animals are exposed to multiple anthropogenic stressors, such as maritime traffic and the presence of waste: boat traffic is responsible for noise pollution, water pollution and is a source of underwater disturbance to marine fauna; plastic pollution is one of the main critical elements for the survival of these species, due to the risk of entanglement, ingestion, or toxicological effects.
Most of these species spend most of their lives in vast marine regions that are not specifically protected. Marine Protected Areas, on their own, while being among the most effective territorial management tools for the conservation of vulnerable species and their habitats, cannot guarantee efficient conservation, especially for wide-ranging migratory species. To this end, the legislation requires the activation of "a strict regime of protection of the entire natural range of the species, both inside and outside Natura 2000 sites" (Habitats Directive) identifying important areas to prioritize mitigation actions and conservation measures.
LIFE Conceptu Maris
LIFE Conceptu Maris will address many challenges, attempting to bring solutions to numerous shortcomings in the conservation of cetaceans and turtles in the Mediterranean.
01
Collect systematic information on the spatio-temporal ecological needs of target species for the mapping of important areas such as buffer zones and ecological corridors, especially in offshore areas and gap areas such as the southern Tyrrhenian Sea and the Sardinia-Sicily channels;
02
Collect systematic information on the main threats for the mapping of high-risk areas/seasons where the application of conservation measures will be a priority;
03
Define an effective standard approach for the long-term monitoring of the conservation status of different species in their range;
04
Foster international cooperation and the development and adoption of agreed procedures to support the identification of important areas and for the long-term surveillance of the conservation status of target species.
Triton Research is responsible for the communication actions of the project, through the development of web and social media products capable of increasing the dissemination of correct information on the protection of the species concerned and the involvement of stakeholders, raising awareness on the state of health of the Mediterranean and the threats that loom over its biodiversity.
Triton will also take care of all the networking activities with other LIFE, Interreg, H2020, EMFF projects, related to the EC Marine Experts Groups and the Marine Environment Strategy, in order to share experiences, documents, research and more generally what is the know-how on the topics addressed in the project.
In addition, Triton supports the lead partner in the coordination, management and supervision of all project actions.
