Projects and initiatives

AMPAMED
Areas Marinas Protegidas del Mediterráneo.

The Project relies in the role of MPA for the sustainable development of local economic activities like artisanal fishing and tourism.
The main goal is using three Mediterranean MPAs, placed in three different regions (Córcega, Cerdeña and Murcia) and shows the differences and the similarities in management resources and sustainable development.

AMPHORE
MPAs and Fisheries Management through Optimization of Resources and Ecosystems.

MPAs fulfill an essential role in safeguarding biodiversity. The question of what their role might be in managing fisheries is now being asked by AMPHORE - `MPAs and Fisheries Management through Optimization of Resources and Ecosystems'

BALANCE
Baltic Sea Management - Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Ecosystem through Spatial Planning.

The objective is the development of informed marine management tools for the Baltic Sea based on spatial planning and cross-sectoral and transnational co-operation.

BIOMARES
Restoration and Management of Biodiversity in the Marine Park Site Arrábida-Espichel.

BIOMEX
Assessment of BIOMasse EXport from Marine Protected Areas and its impact on fisheries in the western Mediterranean Sea.

The objective is to investigate the efficiency of Marine Protected Areas as sources of biomass. The main objective is to assess the export of fisheries-related biomass from MPAs to surrounding areas. Measures of efficiency of MPAs for biomass export is based on a multidisciplinary approach that includes biological and fisheries aspects.

CAMIS
Channel Arc Manche Integrated Strategy

Approved in June 2009, within the framework of the INTERREG IVa France (Channel) - England program, the CAMIS Project aims at developing and implementing an integrated maritime strategy for the Channel area whilst fostering concrete co-operation between stakeholders.

Canary's project
Monitoring of fisheries in the MPAs of the Canary Archipelago.

There are two objectives:
* Assessment of the impact on the species of fisheries and/or ecological interest of the measures applied in the MPAs ;
* Communicate to stakeholders -namely fishermen- the benefits of the monitoring activities.

CHARM 3
Channel Habitat Atlas for marine Resource Management.

The objective is to develop an atlas as a « toolbox » to help in decision-making and planning for both sound governance and sustainable management of the Channel sea's marine resources and human activities. The project is the continuation of CHARM (2003-2005) and CHARM 2 (2006-2008).

The project "CRESH (Cephalopods Recruitment from English Channel Spawning Habitat) is part of the Project INTERREG IVA France (Manche)-England.
The research focuses on the resources used in the English Channel (cuttlefish and squid) and habitat of stages preceding recruitment (eggs and juveniles) in these species.
The objectives are:
* To improve understanding of the suitable habitat for Cephalopod reproduction.
* To evaluate the contribution of different spawning grounds to the stock recruitment.
* To investigate effects of temperature, abiotic and biotic factors on growth and survival of early stages.
* To develop genetic markers for identification of cephalopod paralarvae so as to understand species specific patterns in juvenile ecology.
* To combine fishery statistics and fishery independent data from both countries to update and refine stock and recruitment assessment.
* To generate new recommendations to fishermen and stakeholders for a sustainable use of English Channel marine resources.

ECODIVE
Sustainable Diving in Marine Protected Areas

Training of specific collectives (target public: recreational diving) of users in the framework of the Spanish MPA management.

ECOMAR
Ecosystem of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at the Sub-Polar Front and Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone.

Understanding how physical and biogeochemical factors influence the distributions and structure of deep-sea communities, focusing on the fauna of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

EMPAFISH
Marine Protected Areas as tools for Fisheries management and conservation

To investigate the potential of different regimes of MPAs in Europe as measures to protect sensitive and endangered species, habitats and ecosystems from the effects of fishing

To develop quantitative methods to assess the effects of marine protected areas

To provide EU with a set of integrated measures and policy proposals for the implementation of MPAs as fisheries and ecosystem management tools

EMPAS
Environmentally Sound Fisheries Management in Marine Protected Areas

The objective of this research project was to gather information on the distribution and impacts of fishing activities in Natura 2000 sites in German EZZ.

Even if the initial focus wasn't to provide advice (at the beginning of the project there wasn't sufficient information for ICES to do it), information gathered during the 3 years finally allowed ICES to provide advice on options for fisheries management that will help achieve the objectives of the German Natura 2000 sites.

EquiMar
Equitable Testing and Evaluation of Marine Energy Extraction Devices in terms of Performance, Cost and Environmental Impact.

The aim of EquiMar was to deliver a suite of protocols for the equitable evaluation of marine energy converters (based on either tidal or wave energy).

FAME
Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment

The FAME project will be delivered by partners from all 5 countries who have interest, knowledge and expertise in the marine environment, ranging from seabird tracking & monitoring to mapping, data analysis and engagement with the offshore renewable energy and fisheries sectors. The partners will monitor and track seabirds throughout the Area and, by combining this data with oceanographic information, produce comprehensive maps to inform the designation of MPAs. The partners will communicate with a range of stakeholders in the marine environment, to minimise the impact of man?s activities on important areas for marine biodiversity.

Two specific species targeted by the project : Corys shearwater and Madeiran storm petrel.

GAP1
Bridging the Knowledge Gap between Fishermen and Science.

By encouraging cooperative research on challenges of human impact on the marine environment, GAP1 supports the development of innovative fisheries management in Europe. Both science and industry partners of GAP1 are committed to build the capacity to collaborate in participatory research. They share their experiences and work together to develop fisheries research case studies.

GAP1 case studies form the basis of plans for future participatory research activities. GAP1 will explore how the knowledge and skills of science and industry partners can be combined to enhance the understanding and management of fisheries. GAP1 is the first of a planned 3-phase program.

GEPETO
GEstion de PEsquerias y Transnational Objectives

The project aims to draw up long-term fisheries management proposals that are more appropriate to the socioeconomic aspects of fishing, to the market, and to the necessity to preserve resources.

The project's overall objective is to evaluate, enhance and adapt existing management and conservation strategies in protected sites to pro-actively respond on likely influences of CC as a threat to habitat integrity and diversity. Furthermore, a monitoring concept is being developed to detect changes caused either by human activity or climate change effects. This will be a very valuable information and tool especially for the administrations of nature protected areas.

IBAS MARINHAS
Important Areas for Seabirds in the Sea

The main objective of this project was to identify the most important areas at sea for seabirds occurring within the Portuguese EEZ, which will later be classified as Marine IBAs according to BirdLife International IBA criteria.

INDEMARES
LIFE+ "Inventory and designation of marine Natura 2000 areas in the Spanish sea"

To contribute to the protection and sustainable use of the biodiversity in the Spanish seas through the identification of valuable areas for the Natura 2000 Network

KIMERAA
Knowledge transfer to Improve Marine Economy in Regions from the Atlantic Area.

The project aims to develop niches of economic excellence in the marine sector through the creation of bridges and links between specialist knowledge providers and firms engaged in maritime activity. To achieve this aim, it will be necessary to identify and develop channels for efficient knowledge transfer in the Atlantic Area regions, mobilizing and linking the different institutional actors that can support innovative firms in the Marine Economy.

MAIA
Marine protected areas in the Atlantic arc

The purpose of MAIA is to create a network of MPA managers, which will take initiatives on an international level in terms of designation, governance and management and be involved in the development of a representative, consistent, efficient and accepted network of Marine Protected Areas in the Atlantic arc.

MAMP
Proyecto red de micro-áreas marinas protegidas

Protect the biodiversity of the infralitoral zone of Tenerife, controlling pest species like Diadema antillarum and increasing the number of marine protected areas and promoting educational campaigns.

The project MARGov considers as direct stakeholders, local communities and, in particular, the users of the Marine Park Professor Luiz Saldanha. Specifically these are the fishermen, the scuba diving, recreational fishing and nautical tourism practitioners, tour operators and local associations.

General objectives
* Empower actors for change for the sustainable governance of the Ocean, by the intensification of the eco-social dialog;
* Strengthen the social and human component for the management of marine protected areas promoting active participation of local communities;
* Structure a GIS for the integration of data to support the collaborative process and to become a database of information/knowledge to support the development of actions for long range management.

MariFish
Coordination of European Marine Fisheries Research Programmes

Strengthening the links between European marine fisheries science and fisheries management.
It aims to improve collaboration between the funders of marine fisheries research by providing opportunities for fisheries managers to work together in a partnership: to improve the coordination, planning and funding of research, and to make the most of ICES expertise

The project MeDON aims to develop, test and disseminate a new concept of coastal monitoring based on a network of innovative real-time cabled marine observatories, and orientated towards end users.

MERIFIC
Marine energy in far peripheral and island community.

The aim of the project is to favour the adoption of marine energy, to identify the specific opportunities and issues faced by peripheral and island communities in exploiting marine renewable energy resources and to develop tool kits and resources for use by other similar communities.

MeshAtlantic
Mapping Atlantic Area seabed habitats for better marine management.

The general objective of Mesh-Atlantic is to provide harmonised seabed habitat mapping over the coastal and shelf zones of the Atlantic Area in order to help informed spatial planning and management.

MESMA
Monitoring and Evaluation of Spatially Managed Areas

MESMA focuses on marine spatial planning and aims to produce integrated management tools (concepts, models and guidelines) for Monitoring, Evaluation and implementation of Spatially Managed marine Areas, based on European collaboration.
MESMA is expected to supply innovative methods and integrated strategies for governments, local authorities, stakeholders, and other managerial bodies for planning and decision making at different local, national, and European scales, for sustainable development of European seas.

PAMPA
Indicateurs de la Performance d'Aires Marines

Protégées pour la gestion des écosystèmes côtiers, des ressources et de leurs usages
MPA performance indicators for management of coastal ecosystems, resources, and their uses.

PAMPA aims to built and test indicators dash board on ecosystem, uses and governance to evaluate management system performances for coastal ecosystem including MPAs.

PISCES
Partnerships Involving Stakeholders in the Celtic Sea Ecosystem

PISCES aims to introduce an ecosystem approach to marine management across a number of countries, cultures and sectors that will be relevant and useful to people operating within and around the Celtic Sea (stakeholders). This international partnership is working with a common goal - to find ways to manage activities more sustainably. The key to the success of this project will be a set of practical guidelines.
Our three specific aims are:
1. To bridge the knowledge gap by developing an understanding of the ecosystem approach with stakeholders.
2. To produce a set of stakeholder-led guidelines to implement an ecosystem approach to managing activities in the Celtic Sea which can then be disseminated and applied throughout other maritime regions in the EU.
3. To challenge existing and test new creative methodologies and processes for stakeholder engagement.

PRESPO
Responsible fishing

The PRESPO project aims to collect a set of scientific information that will improve the artisanal fisheries management, increasing their sustainability in biological, environmental, social and economic terms

PROTECT
Ecosystem conservation and fisheries management through Marine Protected Areas

To provide policy advice and develop methodologies to assess the potential of different Marine Protected Areas (MPA) regimes. MPAs will be assessed for their effectiveness to protect sensitive species, habitats and ecosystems from the adverse effects of fishing, to promote the enhancement of vulnerable species or ecosystems and to assist in the sustainable harvesting of economically valuable species. A number of European institutes propose to work together in three regional case studies and in common work packages on the methodology development, assessment and modelling of European MPA's PROTECT will define, assess and evaluate the parameters determining the success and failure of different regimes of protected areas based on resource, ecosystem and socio-economic objectives.

SCALES
Securing the Conservation of Biodiversity across Administrative Levels and spatial, temporal and Ecological Scales.

The general objective of SCALES is to provide the most appropriate assessment tools and policy instruments to foster our capacity for biodiversity conservation across spatial and temporal scales and to disseminate them to a wide range of users.

TARRAGONINA
Creation and declaration of a corridor of protected marine areas on the coast of Tarragona.

To create a corridor of marine protected areas, analyzing three zones: Espai d'interès natural (EIN) de la platja de Torredembarra, EIN del Torn i la Rojala (Vandellòs - l'Hospitalet de l'Infant) i EIN del Cap de Santes Creus de l'Ametlla de mar.

TRANSMAP
Transboundary networks of MPA for integrated conservation and sustainable development: biophysical, socio-economic and governance assessment in East Africa.

The goal is to develop scientific knowledge for the creation of transboundary networks of MPAs in the East African region. In particular relating to type, size and location of reserves, which together can maintain ecological functions, resource-uses and future socio-economic developments. The final outcomes are options for zoning plans for two contrasting situations, which encompass a significant fraction of the biogeographical range of the region.

French research group