Biodiversity Assessment, Socio-economic SErvices, and anthropogenic Threats evaluation in the central MEDditerranean
BASSET-MED aims to provide key information on the biodiversity and marine ecosystems of the
Central Mediterranean Sea - Strait of Sicily (SoS), Ecosystem Services (ES) provided, human
activities and pressures on those ecosystems, and the degradation risk due to the cumulative
pressures of anthropogenic activities and climate change. The premise is that improved understanding
of values and functions of marine and coastal ecosystems allows to evaluate more ...
accurately what is being gained and lost when exploitation of natural capital takes place, which can help in assessing
the environmental and socio-economic viability of any spatial management plan. These are also the
prerequisites for developing a Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) framework that integrates an
Ecosystem-Based Approach (EBA) to management, with special attention on fishing activities,
fish resources, vulnerable species and marine habitats. Marine ES and the abiotic outputs
from marine and coastal ecosystems also support the Sustainable Blue Economy agenda and the
project aims at assessing the links between ecosystem services that are supplied by seas and
coasts and those demanded by the Sustainable Blue Economy agenda.
Programme: MUR PNRR -
National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC)
Duration: 2022 - 2025 (36 months)
Total budget: € 4.259.000
Biodiversity mainstreaming in Maritime Spatial Planning
MSP4BIODIVERSITY is part of a large project funded through Next Generation EU to establish
the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC). The Center aims at addressing interdisciplinary
and frontier research and innovation activities devoted to the knowledge monitoring, conservation,
restoring and valorization of Italian biodiversity. MSP4BIODIVERSITY addresses and develops the theme
of MSP of Italian marine waters in a wider Mediterranean ...
context, guaranteeing and strengthening the
protection of the biodiversity of marine ecosystems and the sustainability of the uses of the
sea, through the operational application of social-ecological and truly transdisciplinary approaches,
which integrate marine / maritime sciences, spatial planning skills, social and economic sciences.
Results of research activities will be directly linked to the ongoing implementation processes of
International, European and National policies on the sea (in particular the Maritime Spatial Plans),
in close connection with competent administrations, stakeholders and local communities. It will promote
the development and application of approaches and enabling technologies (e.g. integration of
observations, data, models and support tools) in the planning, monitoring and adaptation phases of MSP
and provide operational answers and demonstrations to specific knowledge demands at local or
sectoral scale, through selected case studies. Finally, it will design and build the conditions
to establish a stable infrastructure of knowledge and related services on the subject of MSP,
biodiversity and sustainable blue economy.
Maritime Spatial Planning as enabler of the European Green Deal
The European Green Deal (EGD) is an ambitious package of policy initiatives to set the EU on
the path to a green transition, improving the well-being and health of citizens and future
generations. MSP-GREEN recognises that EGD components within MSP plans are still limited and
must be reinforced and operationalised. The project aims at developing a framework to analyse
and strengthen the role of MSP plans as “marine enablers” of the EGD, focusing on the topics ...
of
particular relevance for the marine environment and the sustainable transition of the blue economy:
climate change mitigation and adaptation, circular blue economy, protection of marine biodiversity,
marine renewable energies, healthy and sustainable food from the sea. MSP-GREEN approach builds on
three major components: analysis, innovation (via valuable practises and new actions), and
transferability. Recommendations on how to strengthen the EGD ambition of EU MSP plans and boost
EGD implementation with actions addressed by MSP will be prepared based on the project results
and by consulting experts and practitioners at EU level. CNR-ISMAR contributes to several project
activities and will lead WP4 “Towards a Greener MSP for Europe: scaling-up and innovating”
aiming at defining the recommendations to make MSP an enabler of the EGD.
Horizon Europe
Duration: 2022 - 2025 (36 months)
Total budget: € 5.000.000
Preparing the Research & Innovation Core for Mission Ocean, Seas & Waters
PREP4BLUE overarching objective is to facilitate a successful first phase (2022-2025) of the
Mission Ocean, seas and water, by developing the co-creation and co-implementation R&I
modalities required to achieve the Mission objectives and preparing the ground for inspiring and
engaging citizens and stakeholders. The project is designed to deliver a series of tools, guidelines,
methodologies and recommendations tested through pilots, which will interlink, leverage and ...
optimise activities among the projects funded under the Mission. PREP4BLUE systemic approach will foster cohesion
and connectivity between knowledge and technology, funding, regulation, education and skills, social
structures and co-creation with R&I actors, citizens and stakeholders. PREP4BLUE multidisciplinary and
multi-actor consortium is actively engaged in basin-based strategies and related R&I activities, with
strong experience in co-developing business models and recommendations for policy-makers, expertise in
social sciences related to participative democracy and citizen engagement and excellent track-record in
methodologies for knowledge management and transfer, as well as in stakeholder engagement. PREP4BLUE
will also carry out strategic actions to assure the alignment of the CSA with the evolution of the
Mission components, including the Mission Core Network, other contributors to the Mission and other
Missions. PREP4BLUE will contribute to preparedness and engagement of all relevant stakeholders to
empower them to play an active role in the Mission.
Hadriaticum DATA HUB. Data management, protocols harmonization, preparations of guidelines: crossborder tools for maritime spatial planning decision-makers
The Adriatic Sea is rich in biodiversity, its mapping of chemical, physical and ecological data,
to define its ecological status and quality, are needed as it is still incomplete. The pressure on
marine ecosystems is increasing due to coastlines population density and use of the sea for economic
purposes such as fishing, navigation, or recreational purposes. The aim of the MSP is to identify and
organize the anthropogenic pressures for a rational use of the marine environment, to ...
protect it and
preserve its ecosystems. Data from chemical, microbiological analysis, distribution of the pollution
(i.e., impact of harbors and contaminations from the coastline), shipping, are collected and organized
to prepare data set ready to feed a hub of data then exploitable by stakeholders and decision-makers
in MSP' application. These data come from the capitalization of Interreg ITHR Std projects involved
for preparing the present proposal. Protocols and guidelines to manipulate these data and to read the
results of such measurements, as well as to organize them in a harmonized way are prepared, also to
offer shared methodological tactics to speed up the mapping processes and the feeding of this data hub.
Good practices are rationalised and shared cross-border.
Reviewing and Evaluating the Monitoring and Assessment of Maritime Spatial Planning
This project is focused in setting-up strategies and approaches to review maritime spatial plans
(MSP), and in particular grounded on the interest for the development of data tools, models and reuse
of operational data infrastructures, allowing interoperability and enabling Member States (MS) to share
MSP data and assessment information. The main objective is to provide EU MS with ReMAP innovative
technical framework for the support of the European MSP process....
The ReMAP technical framework is
mainly aimed at the review, assessment performance and improvement of the adopted plans. ReMAP consortium
and proposed framework build on the efforts of the Technical Expert Group (TEG) on MSP data and
EMODnet to harmonize EU MSP layer and propose innovative approach of modular analytics.
Regions to boost National Maritime Spatial Planning
REGINA MSP aims at improving the participation of regional and local authorities and stakeholders
in maritime spatial planning. This governance level provides an adequate scale for detailed planning
of marine areas and for integrating European and National policy requirements with local specificities
and needs. The project combines a general analysis at the European level aiming at creating a compendium
of regional experiences on MSP and identifying persisting gaps ...
with an in-depth MSP-focused analysis at
the level of sub-national case studies in five Atlantic and Mediterranean EU countries (Ireland, France,
Spain, Italy and Greece). REGINA MSP methodology includes analysis of existing policy and planning
documents, literature review, collection and assessment of spatial data, interviews with actors and
engagement of regional and local stakeholders. CNR-ISMAR is involved in all project activities, working
in particular on the definition of a common methodological approach to case studies and on the
implementation of the Italian case in Sardinia region. Besides reports, the project will deliver
policy-oriented papers and briefs targeting different uses (the EU, countries and regions).
Programme: Horizon Europe
Duration: 2022 - 2025 (36 months)
Total budget: € 3.500.000
Improved Science-Based Maritime Spatial Planning to Safeguard and Restore Biodiversity in a coherent European MPA network
With an overall aim to support the coherent implementation of the EU (European Union) Biodiversity
Strategy (EUBS) 2030, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) post-2020 framework, as well as the
EU Green Deal, MSP4BIO develops and demonstrates the ways in which knowledge-based MSP becomes a vehicle
and a tool for the protection and recovery of ecosystems. Specifically, MSP4BIO will develop an
integrated flexible socio-ecological management to ...
cope with a rapidly changing environment for
coastal, offshore, and deep-sea ecosystems and validate its concrete applicability in 6 test sites
in 5 European Sea Basins. The management relies on improved systemic biodiversity prioritization
criteria for MPAs and EBSAs, based on the best available scientific knowledge on biodiversity attributes,
and linking spatial ecological features (including migratory ones) with socio-economic considerations.
MSP4BIO uses a participatory approach to co-develop ecosystem services tradeoff scenarios to prioritize
the areas and assess the suitability of spatial and strategic management measures from the ecological
and socioeconomic perspectives. The approach integrates the criteria and objectives of relevant maritime
and biodiversity policies as well as the EUBS 2030 to ensure coherent policy implementation. As such,
the project will develop and improve approaches, methods, and tools to feed scientific knowledge,
making it of direct use to planners and MPA managers, while producing site-specific results informing
site-specific, and broader policy processes and decisions. The project builds on and integrate existing
knowledge and results from multiple origins, and ensures effective collaboration with relevant projects
and initiatives to fill present gaps on marine biodiversity, speeding up the scientific brake while
paving pave the way for effective biodiversity management.
Programme: Horizon Europe
Duration: 2022 - 2025 (36 months)
Total budget: € 3.000.000
Coherent and cross-compliant ocean governance for delivering the EU Green Deal for European Seas
The three-year CrossGov R&I project aims to enhance knowledge on how coherence and cross-compliance
of marine related policies and legislation affect the ability to realise the EU Green Deals goals
for the protection of marine ecosystems and biodiversity, and to co-create proposals and roadmaps
together with the CrossGov Stakeholder Forum for more consistent and integrated approaches towards
this end. The analyses and proposals will be conducted in the...
context of the multilevel governance
system encompassing various sectors, composed by global and regional international frameworks, the
EU and the European coastal states with their different national arrangements. The project addresses
governance in three European marine regions: the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
The core strength of CrossGov is the close collaboration with the policymaking community and the
production of co-created knowledge and solutions through innovative, web-based and fit-for purpose
roadmaps and methodological guidelines. This will enable policymakers to effectively foster
environmentally sustainable law and governance that is fit-for-purpose for delivering the societal
transformation called for in the GD. Through the development of analytical and methodological
guidelines for the studying of coherence and cross-compliance, CrossGov will develop a comprehensive
and innovative research model. This model is expected project will enhance knowledge on, and
reinforce, cross-compliance, coherence and innovation in EU marine governance to strengthen the
resilience of European seas and facilitate the implementation of EUs Green Deal. The research
brings forth innovative methodologies to systematically identify, analyse and remediate weaknesses,
gaps, and inconsistencies in law, policies and decisionand policymaking processes to halt the
degradation of European seas and facilitate cross-compliance within and across biodiversity,
pollution and climate related laws and policies
Allocated Zone for the Aquaculture in the Sardinia Region
AZA-Sardegna will draw up the regional plan of the allocated zone for the aquaculture in the marine,
coastal and inland waters of Sardinia region. The project will yields advancement in knowledge of the
target aquatic ecosystems and will implement an interoperable and community-based spatial information
system.
Advancing Black Sea Research and Innovation to Co-Develop Blue Growth within Resilient Ecosystems
BRIDGE-BS will map, monitor and model ecosystem services and their responses to stressors in order
to identify the safe operating space within which sustainable, climate-neutral blue economy can develop.
To achieve this, BRIDGE-BS will advance knowledge and deliver research under three nodes: Service
Dynamics, Blue Growth Incubators and Empowered Citizens.
The SATURN project consortium will combine multidisciplinary expertise to identify i) the sounds
that are most detrimental to aquatic species and how they are produced and propagated, ii) the
short-term and cumulative long-term negative impacts of noise from shipping and boats on three
representative groups of aquatic species in rivers and the sea (invertebrates, fish and marine
mammals), iii) the most promising options for measuring and reducing the negative ...
impacts of ship
noise that can be applied to current and future vessels
Programme: Ministry of Sustainable Infrastructures and Mobilities
Duration: 2021 – 2022 (24 months)
Total budget: € 457.000,00
Technical and scientific support for the preparation of the maritime spatial plans of Italian marine
waters (Adriatic, Ionian-Central Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian-Western Mediterranean) according to Decree
n.201/2016 and MSP National Guidelines, including stakeholder consultation and transnational cooperation.
In partnership with CORILA and IUAV
Past Projects
Programme: DG Mare EASME
Duration: December 2020-2022 (24 months)
Total budget: € 3.100.000
Towards the operational implementation of MSP in our common Mediterranean Sea
The overall objective of MSP-MED is to favour the MSP Directive’s implementation in the Mediterranean
Sea, by supporting the establishment of coherent and coordinated maritime spatial plans across the
Mediterranean, for promoting a sustainable and long lasting “blue” development.The MSP-MED project
will capitalize the results of important EC-funded projects on MSP, recently carried out and on-going,
involving a large part of the EU Member States of the...
Mediterranean (IT, FR, SP, SLO, ML, GR) and their
MSP Competent Authorities, promoting also the active participation of the other MS and of non-EU
Mediterranean countries.
Southern Adriatic Ionian Straight Ecologically of Biologically Significant Area
CNR ISMAR was involved in the Mediterranean Biodiversity Protection Community (MBPC) project co-funded
by INTERREG-MED programme to deliver a study supporting decision making for improved environmental
protection of the SAIS-EBSA. This is an area of high ecological importance, hosting valuable benthic
communities (such as deep-sea corals and deep-sea sponge aggregations) and important habitats for
Mediterranean megafauna species. The study...
mapped the distribution of maritime activities occurring
in the area as well as of key ecological components (habitats and species), to then identify major
pressures exerted by the firsts on the seconds. Tools4MSP CEA, a Python-based Free and Open Source
Software (FOSS) for geospatial analysis in support of Maritime Spatial Planning and marine environmental
management, was used to assess the cumulative impact of maritime activities and relate pressures on
selected species and benthic habitat and identify priority areas of concern for conservation. Eventually,
the study delivered three narrative scenarios about the possible future development of marine protection
and maritime sectors in the SAIS-EBSA: “Business As Usual”, “Sustainable Blue Economy” and “Nature
Protection” scenarios.
Programme: INTERREG MED
Duration: 2018-2022 (48 months)
Total budget: € 4.800.000
Mediterranean Innovation STRAtegy for transnational activity of clusters and networks of the Blue Growth
The main objective of MISTRAL is to create a symbiotic and transnational community of the Mediterranean
Clusters active in the Blue Growth domains (blue energy, aquaculture, maritime, coastal and cruise
tourism, blue biotechnology, marine mineral resources). MISTRAL empowers and increases the effectiveness
of the quadruple helix actors’ innovation activities such as know-how and technology transfer, business
creation, networking, interactions with policy...
makers, promotion of new models for the governance,
involvement of SMEs/corporates in open innovation programs.
Programme: UNESCO/IOC – DG MARE
Duration: 2019- 2022
MspGlobal is a joint initiative developed by the Unesco’s International Ocean Commission (IOC) and the
European Commission department responsible for EU policy on maritime affairs and fisheries DG MARE.
MSP Global initiative aims to design international guidelines on Marine/Maritime Spatial Planning while
supporting the cooperation between EU and non EU Member States, on defining regional recommendations in
line with the WestMED Initiative and ...
promoting the adoption of a roadmap and on strengthening
institutional capacities.
Programme: MIUR
Duration: 2020-2022
Total budget: € 700.000
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION FOR THE PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
The ITEM project formed a community of 50 universities, small, medium and large companies aim work in an
integrated and exclusive way in order to: identify the main technological gaps and opportunities for
the competitive industrial development of the country; develop industrial research testing new
technologies patented by the project partners; design new technologies aimed at: improving the
observational systems needed to ensure the quality of ...
the marine environment; at producing systems
useful for the sustainable use of environmental restoration ,marine biotic and abiotic resources;
at the identification of new products, foods, materials and marine-derived medicines. The project’s
objective is to innovate marine research in Italy and to boost an economic and social growth instrument
based on the sustainable use of resources and opportunities in the light of a blue economy.
Soundscapes in the North Adriatic Sea and their impact on Marine Biological Resources
The project aims to create a cross-border technical, scientific and institutional cooperation between
Italy and Croatia in the Northern Adriatic Sea to face together the challenge of assessing the impact
of underwater environmental noise on the marine fauna and in general on the ecosystem on a basin scale.
Its main objective is to establish common management and mitigation policies to strengthen the marine
spatial planning and the protection of ecosystems in order to...
increase environmental benefits and to
contribute to the blue growth of the EUSAIR region.
Programme: Interreg-ADRION
Duration: 2018-2020 (33 months)
Total budget: € 1.500.000
geoPortal of Tools & Data for sustainable Management of coAstal and maRine Environment
The Geoportal uses, feeds and supports transnational cooperation networks. The project also tests the
use of the Geoportal as a concrete support for the development, in four demonstration areas, of
strategie.
Research and innovation for blue jobs and growth in the Mediterranean Area
Research and innovation for blue jobs and growth in the Mediterranean Area, H2020 (2016 – 2020).
It aims at supporting the BLUEMED Initiative, boosting Blue Growth in the Mediterranean by promoting
the concrete and operational implementation of the BLUEMED SRIA. This project has the privilege to set,
for the first time in the whole Mediterranean Basin, the scene for the long-term effective coordination
of marine and maritime research and innovation...
activities, consolidating networks and establishing
mechanisms that will remain and be further developed after the conclusion of the project.
Programme: INTERREG MED
Duration: 2018 – 2020 (24 months)
Total budget: € 1.200.000
Blue Economy and Marine Conservation: Safeguarding Mediterranean MPAs to Achieve Good Environmental Status
PHAROS4MPAs project aims to enhance management effectiveness and networking for Mediterranean MPAs, in order
to contribute to the conservation of marine biodiversity and natural ecosystems, taking into account
the complex ensemble of human activities developed within the Blue Growth perspective and their
interaction with protected areas and marine ecosystems. To achieve this goal PHAROS4MPAs supports the
implementation of EU maritime policies for the ...
sustainable management of human activities and the
protection of Mediterranean ecosystems, including the MSP Directive and the MSFD among others. The
project aims to capitalize existing results delivered by EU-funded projects and other initiatives
concerning MPAs and their interactions with economic sectors by developing an integrated framework
for recommendations on the necessary practical collaboration between MPAs and such maritime sectors.
Project outputs include delivering common capitalization baselines, recommendations and policy tools
adapted to appropriation by the MedPAN network, MSP authorities, the European Commission, the Barcelona
Convention and the various maritime sectors.
Programme: Po FEAMP
Duration: 2018-2019
Total budget: €24.000
Development of governance-supporting tools for the maritime region of Chioggia
The project aims to develop an integrated analysis of fishing activities in the Chioggia Maritime Department,
within the broader context of the uses of the sea. It also focuses on the analysis of conflicts,
synergies and impacts, through scientific approaches and tools used at national, Mediterranean and
European level and identifying possible management measures for fishing activities or those that
influence the fishing sector, in a wider context of uses of the sea and the...
coast and environmental
and socio-economic sustainability.
Programme: DG MARE EASME
Duration: 2017-2018 (24 months)
Total budget: € 2.820.000
Supporting Implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in the Western Mediterranean region
SIMWESTMED focuses on supporting the implementation of the Directive on Maritime Spatial Planning in Member
States’ (FR, SP, ML, IT) marine waters and onlaunching and carrying out concrete, cross-border MSP
cooperation between Member States in the Western Mediterranean region.
Programme: DG MARE EASME
Duration: 2017-2018 (24 months)
Total budget: € 2.500.000
Supporting Implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in the Eastern Mediterranean region
SUPREME project involves public authorities in charge of MSP, as designated by the Governments of four EU
Member States (GR, HR, IT and SL), and the UNEP/MAP Barcelona Convention. SUPREME focuses on two key
objectives: to support the implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in EU Member States and to
launch and carry out concrete and cross-border MSP initiative between Member States.
Programme: INTERREG MED
Duration: 2016-2019 (36 months)
Total budget: € 3.000.000
Promoting the co-evolution of human activities and natural systems for the development of sustainable coastal and maritime tourism
MED-CO-EVOLVE project aims to study and promote the co-evolution of human activities and natural systems
in touristic coastal areas, allowing sustainable development of touristic activities based on the
principles of ICZM/MSP. CO-EVOLVE couples a presently unavailable analysis at MED scale of threats
and enabling factors for sustainable tourism with local studies on representative Pilot Areas, in
order to demonstrate through pilot actions the feasibility and ...
effectiveness of a ICZM/MSP based
planning process.
Programme: MIUR
Duration: 2016-2018
Total budget: € 170.000
The Project is one of the National Research Programmes funded by the Italian Ministry of University
and Research. The activities of this National flagship Project on marine and maritime research topics,
coordinated by the CNR, are mainly concentrated on the Adriatic-Ionian Region and are indeed related
to the main priorities indicated by the EUSAIR Action Plan, as they tackle and go deep into the
available knowledge and address priority actions on the issues of maritime...
traffic, fisheries and
aquaculture, energy (oil & gas), coastal and maritime tourism, pollution and biodiversity protection.
Specifically the project aims to support the overall MSP implementation process in the area; to make
available valuable data, tools and knowledge for the development of sound planning and management
solutions; to formulate specific and concrete proposals (per sectors / per sub-area) to tackle some
key priorities of spatial planning and management of marine resources, in collaboration with competent
authorities and stakeholders.
Programme: H2020
Duration: 2016-2018 (24 months)
Total budget:€ 2.000.000
The project aims to explore opportunities for Multi-Use in European Seas across five EU sea basins
(Baltic Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Eastern Atlantic). It focuses on: exploring
the opportunities for Multi-Use in European Seas, including the scope for innovation and Blue Growth
potential; presenting practical solutions on how to overcome existing barriers and minimize risks
associated with Multi-Use development. It also focuses on maximising local...
benefits and on providing
an understanding of environmental, spatial, economic & societal benefits of co-location.
Programme: DG Mare EMFF
Duration: 2013- 2015 (18 months)
Total budget: € 1.200.000
Project funded by the European Commission – DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) under the theme
“Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) in the Mediterranean sea and/or the Black sea”. It improves the
on-going process to develop MSP in the region;supports overcoming barriers of full participation
of all neighbouring countries in the process and promotes sound technically/scientifically based
political decisions in order to promote a coherent transnational approach to ...
the spatial planning
of the marine seas. The study area is the Adriatic - Ionian Macro region considered as a whole,
zooming into two focus areas, one in the Northern Adriatic Sea and the other in Southern Adriatic
Northern Ionian Sea. The project aims to improve the on-going process to develop MSP in the
Mediterranean and Black Sea. It also promotes a smooth implementation of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR).