Events and News

Documentary "The Roots of the Sea". Innovation and good practices to protect the marine ecosystem

Today in Livorno was held the video "The Roots of the Sea" on the design and construction of eco-sustainable reforestation plants of Posidonia oceanica meadows was held today at the Livorno Aquarium. The conference was an opportunity to meet and discuss marine environmental issues and some topics on the agenda such as drought, water emergencies and desalination

Presentation of the PNRR MER Project on the GEO television show

In the March 28 episode of Geo, the Director General of ISPRA, Maria Siclari, presented the PNRR MER (Marine Ecosystem Restoration) Project, the largest project on the sea within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which sees ISPRA as the implementing body and the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security as administration holder of the loan of 400 million Euros for 2022-2026. The MER includes interventions for the restoration and protection of the seabed and marine habitats, the strengthening of the national system for the observation of marine and coastal ecosystems and the mapping of coastal and marine habitats, the acquisition of a new oceanographic naval unit, equipped with highly technological equipment capable of probing the seabed up to 4000 m and very high resolution acoustic instrumentation.

Watch the episode (interview at the minute 0.25.00)

46th meeting of the scientific groups of the London Convention and Protocol on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matters from ships and aircraft

From 13 to 17 March 2023 in Casablanca, hosted by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics of Morocco, delegates from 24 countries and 2 NGOs met for the 46th meeting of the "Scientific Groups" of the London Convention, 1972 and the 1996 Protocol on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matters. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) of the United Nations, taking part at the meetings with the Secretariat of the Office for London Convention/Protocol & Ocean Affairs , is the body in charge of the application of these international treaties in countries which, like Italy, have incorporated the rules into their own regulations .

Gofree project

On February 22nd and 23rd at the Porto Conte Ricerche headquarters in Alghero and at the Port Museum in Porto Torres the researchers involved in the project Gofree "Introduction of the striped humpback shrimp (Plesionika edwardsii) fishing in Sardinia" they met the fishermen of the Alghero, Porto Torres and Castelsardo fleets. The project aims aims to introduce and incentivize the fishing of bathyal shrimp, also called hunchbacks  in the Sardinian seas, introducing innovative measures both in the fishing process, in order to favor fishing also at bathymetry not yet exploited

Discover and protecting the sea for a true blue economy

The Italian seas occupy a fundamental place in the conservation and protection of biodiversity, energy production and fish resources consumed in our country.
ISPRA performs the role of technical-scientific coordination of the national system for monitoring and assessing the state of health of marine ecosystems envisaged by the Framework Directive on Marine Strategy 2008/56/EC, with the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security as the Authority Qualified.
The monitoring carried out in the last 10 years (ISPRA-ARPA, EPR, University) has highlighted important knowledge gaps and the need to intervene to reverse the degradation of marine ecosystems with large-scale restoration actions.
The PNRR MER - Marine Ecosystem Restoration project sees ISPRA as the implementing entity and MASE as the administration of the 400 million euro loan for 2022-2026. The MER envisages interventions for the restoration and protection of the seabed and marine habitats, the strengthening of the national system of observation of marine and coastal ecosystems with the acquisition of a new major oceanographic naval unit as well as the mapping of coastal and marine habitats of interest conservation in Italian wate

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Photo gallery

Mo.Ri.net project - final event

The Mo.Ri.net project (Monitoring, census, removal and recycling of ghost nets: fishermen as key players in the safeguard of the sea) lasting 18 months and with a partnership of five entities, it was financed by the EMFF 2014/2020 following the Call of the Sardegna region for the implementation of Measure 1.40 art. 40, par.1, lett. a) of Reg. (EU) no. 508/2014 Call 2018.

MoRinet's objective is the conservation of marine habitats in two pilot areas of Sardegna  through actions involving the removal of marine litter and lost fishing gear, actively involving fishermen. From the point of view of the Circular Economy, the polyethylene waste collected, if suitable, is sent to the recycling and valorisation process.
The final event is dedicated to illustrating the results of the project and to an exchange of experience with other projects dealing with similar issues in order to compare best practices and trace new development perspectives in relation to the marine litter problem

Program

Press release (ita)

A buoy in the framework of the IwaveNET Project has been activated off Marina di Ragusa

In the Interreg Italia Malta  i-WaveNET project framework, ISPRA moored a wave directional buoy at a depth of 50 metres offshore of Marina di Ragusa. The buoy measures wave height and direction, every 30 minutes, thanks to wave motion sensor based on a stabilised platform, accelerometers, and magnetic compass.

Presentation of the third edition of Earth Technology Expo

The third edition of ETE will be held from 15 to 18 November 2023, on 21 February in Rome at the Civil Protection there will be the official presentation of the new edition. The participation of the ISPRA president, Stefano Laporta, is expected.

Marine Geology in Italy

On 14 and 15 February, at the headquarters of the Cnr and the Department of Earth Sciences of the Sapienza University of Rome, the 5th Conference of Italian Marine Geologists takes place.
The biennial event represents an opportunity for the entire community of marine geologists to meet and discuss their research activities.

Let's recover the nets lost at sea!!

The Strong Sea project and its staff thank the fishermen for their contribution in reporting missing fishing gear.
We are happy to meet them on 11 February in Castelsardo to show, with the videos made during the identification and removal of the fishing gear they reported, how important their contribution has been to the protection of the marine environment.

Campaign citizen science of Conceptu Maris

It is officially started the citizen science campaign of the Progetto Conceptu Maris, important activity that will allow people who love nature to give a relevant contribution to the protection of marine turtles and cetaceans. 
In order to know what are the necessary requisites to board the ferries together with Conceptu Maris biologists and participate in animal monitoring, visit the dedicated page on the project website and discover the 16 routes available throughout the Mediterranean basin. Your participation will be valuable for you and the environment

Kick-off meeting of the projet LIFE-2021-SAP-NAT-NATURE TURTLENEST

The Kick-off meeting of the LIFE-2021-SAP-NAT-NATURE TURTLENEST project will be held on January 20 in Rome, at the Legambiente headquarters. The aim of the project is the conservation of Caretta caretta, in the western Mediterranean basin, from threats related to human disturbance in the nesting sites. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the project intends to improve the conservation status of Caretta caretta, thanks to the establishment of an international network, through the use of the best shared techniques and the use of a monitoring system

Mediterranean project and ISPRA, plastic represents 65% of floating waste in the sea

Available the new results on the presence of floating waste in the sea that emerge from the collaboration between Associazione Progetto Mediterranea and ISPRA in the context of the "Floating Litter", an Advanced Citizen Science project to study sea pollution.
The Mediterranea ship sailed between May and September 2022 in the Strait of Sicily, the Gulf of Taranto and along the Adriatic coast as far as Venice. During the route, the crew made a series of sightings of floating waste as part of the observation and documentation program established with researchers from ISPRA and the Ministry of the Environment.

Value Nature. The role of Protected Areas for the protection and enhancement of Italy

Marevivo and WWF Italia are organizing the conference on the role of Protected Areas for the protection and enhancement of Italy on 12 January. The title of the meeting is in itself significant: our system of Marine Protected Areas and the Natura 2000 network at sea, fragmented and undervalued, is oppressed by management problems that have not been resolved for too long. The ISPRA president, Stefano Laporta will participate in the session dedicated to Marine Protected Areas.

Program

Live streaming

Pollution in marine sediments. How to improve data quality

Homogeneity and coherence: these are the fundamental characteristics that environmental data must have in order to be used on a large scale. Access to good quality data on pollutants in marine sediments is of paramount importance for the assessment and adoption of appropriate measures for environmental management.

In Naples the meeting of experts for the implementation of the NEAMTWS strategy

The international working group that deals with implementing the strategy of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) for the management of tsunami risk in the Mediterranean and in the eastern Atlantic, met in Naples on 28-30 November 2022. They were more than 60 experts were present, representing the institutions that manage the warning systems for earthquakes and the possible consequent tsunamis in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea basin and in the European part of the Atlantic Ocean.
The meetings served to present the progress of the systems for detecting rising sea level (for Italy, ISPRA with its monitoring stations is responsible) and rapid warning systems for tsunami-genic seismic phenomena.

Investigate the abyss. Scientific research in the exploration of the seabed

The seabed has always fascinated humanity: today, thanks to ever new underwater technologies, it is possible to observe and study great depths, returning data, maps and images capable of monitoring the health of the seas and ecosystems. Not only that: in the abyss it is also possible to study neutrinos, elusive particles that arrive from space and carry information about the universe with them.

Strong Sea Life in Livorno

As foreseen by the Life program, the Strong Sea project aims to share knowledge and techniques used in the Gulf of Asinara in order to replicate the recovery model in the places affected by the same threat: the loss of fishing gear at sea.
For this purpose ISPRA will organize the conference which will be held in Livorno on November 24, 2022 at the Panoramic room of the city's Aquarium. The event will illustrate the techniques and methods of intervention used in the recovery of ghost nets in the project area in order to be able to replicate them in Tuscany.  

The importance of scales and uncertainties in ocean transport: physical and biogeochemical interactions in the Mediterranean Sea

ISPRA participates in MONGOOS - Mediterranean Oceanographyc Network for the Global Ocean Observing System - with the aim of integrating and enhancing the observational networks of the physical state of the sea, providing an advanced technical and scientific contribution in coastal marine forecasting and promoting the visibility of the sea. 'Institute in the international context of the Mediterranean area.
The annual workshop entitled "The importance of scales and uncertainties in ocean transport: physical and biogeochemical interactions in the Mediterranean Sea" will be held on November 22-23, followed by the general assembly on November 24.

ISPRA participates at the Science Festival of Rome

Pandemics, climate change and environmental crises demonstrate how much we need new outlooks on the present and new visions for the future. And, therefore, how much we need to explore, starting from what we know and opening up to what we don't know.

The Rome Science Festival is the ideal context to analyze the various themes, meet different people and disciplines, because it offers a rich variety of events.

In the seventeenth edition of the Festival we will talk about exploration in all areas of science, including new frontiers of art, photography, literature, with a curious look on all aspects of contemporaneity.

Fight against Accidental Marine Pollution by hydrocarbons

The closing event of the technical-scientific collaboration agreement pursuant to art. 15 L. n. 241/9, for the implementation of activities aimed at the prevention and contrast of accidental events of pollution by hydrocarbons in the Marine Protected Areas ", called CIMA Project (Fight against Accidental Marine Pollution by hydrocarbons).

The agreement between ISPRA and eleven Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), aimed at contributing to the affirmation of MPAs as reference bodies, in the areas of competence, and the implementation of intervention activities in the event of accidental pollution, is part of the activities funded by the Ministry of Ecological Transition (MiTE) with the D.L. 34 May 19, 2020 "Urgent measures in the field of health, support for work and the economy, as well as social policies related to the epidemiological emergency from Covid19", in particular with reference to Art. 227 bis, “Strengthening the protection of marine ecosystems”.
The event aims to illustrate the activities carried out and the results obtained under the agreement, highlighting the critical issues in order to identify possible corrective measures.

Program

World Tsunami Awareness Day

On 5 November of each year, on input from the United Nations which established it in 2015, the day of awareness raising and awareness of the risk posed by tsunamis is celebrated. These are quite rare natural events but with disastrous impacts for men and things.
This year Tsunami Awareness Day is focused on Goal G of the Sendai Framework which provides for greater availability of early warning systems in the event of possible disasters and easier access to such information systems essential to save lives.

Observed data and modeling tools for bathing water management

The Bathing Directive (2006/7 / EC) requires that the pressures (eg. river mouths, discharges and urban wastewater treatment plants) having the greatest impact on the environment and health be identified and characterized. The Directive also places emphasis on the concept of prevention and the importance of forecasting possible episodes of pollution.

The objective of the Workshop is to show the potential of the products available under the Copernicus Program, comparing the monitoring and modeling experiences carried out in the various Italian Regions. Furthermore, the Workshop will be an opportunity to collect user needs and to promote the use of a homogeneous approach on a national scale to solve the critical issues related to the management of bathing water.

Program

Livorno, the sea at the center: research and innovation for the sea economy

On 3 November the Municipality of Livorno will organize the conference "Livorno, the sea at the center: research and innovation for the economy of the sea".

Exercise in Calabria for tsunami risk management

ISPRA experts were invited to contribute, with their technical-scientific knowledge, to the two days of work that took place in the Municipality of Bagnara Calabra, as part of the EXE Sisma dello Stretto exercise, organized to deepen the theme of tsunami alert and the necessary management and mitigation measures for this natural risk.

Marine Litter and Circular Economy

MARELESS project - MARin Litter cross-border awarenESS and innovation actions
The event addresses the problem of marine litter from a technical and regulatory point of view, presenting some successful cases and new technologies for waste removal in addition to the innovations introduced by the "Salvamare" Law.

The protection of the Tuscany coast - From monitoring to programming

From monitoring to actual programming, these are the issues addressed during the conference "The protection of the Tuscan coast - From monitoring to programming" which will be held on October 20th.

ISPRA is participating in the VII European Conference on sea turtles with a photographic exhibition and comics of the INDICIT Project

The 7th edition of the European Sea Turtle Conference in Tetouan, Morocco, opened on 18 October.
ISPRA is participating by presenting the exhibition and the volume "Marine litter looking for a new world" created as part of the INDICIT I and II projects.

Like larger litter, microplastics also pose a threat to the marine environment

Researchers from the University of Siena, who are on board the Astrea research vessel together with ISPRA researchers, as part of the Mo.Ri.net project, are monitoring the presence of microplastics both on the sea surface and on the water column.

The Mo.Ri.net project (Monitoring, census, removal and recycling of ghost nets: fishermen as key players in the safeguard of the sea) aims to make a tangible contribution to solving the problem of floating waste deposited on the seabed, responsible for a direct environmental impact on the ecosystem and protected habitats and species.

Dredging and management of coastal marine sediments

The conference, organized by the Italian Environment and Safety Association, in collaboration with the Port System Authority of the Southern Adriatic Sea, was held on 13 October in Brindisi. The event was an occasion for specialist discussion on the theme of dredging the coastal seabed, comparing the national discipline and technique with international experiences.
The conference was attended by the head of the experimental section for the assessment of ecological risk in coastal marine areas of ISPRA