Environmental Monitoring and Studies
IMC Foundation Researchers monitor marine and coastal ecosystems as a service to public authorities (municipalities, provinces, managing bodies of the Protected Marine Areas and Natura 2000 sites) as well as for private ones.
- In particular, activities include:
• Development of protocols for monitoring and evaluating the environmental status of the marine environment and the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas
• Identification and quantitative data collection on priority habitats and protected species under the Habitats Directive 1992/43/EU and the Protocol SPA/BIO (Barcelona Convention): habitat 1120 fields of Posidonia oceanica; habitat1170 Reefs, coralligenous communities, Pinna nobilis; Paracentrotus lividus; fish fauna
• Feasibility studies of protected areas, preparation of documentation required for the recognition of protected marine areas by SPAMI (Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance, Barcelona Convention) - • Surveys on hard sea floors and on marine debris for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EU
• Identification of ecological indicators (CARLIT, Prei) under the Coastal Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EU
• Identification of ecological and socio-economic indicators and management measures to be applied to Marine Protected Areas and Natura 2000 sites
• Training of Marine Protected Area operators
- Identification and collection of quantitative data for the assessment of stocks of commercially valuable species of (Paracentrotus lividus)
• Monitoring of anthropogenic pressure on marine and coastal ecosystems; evaluation of the impact of anchors, diving, commercial and recreational fishing, and alien species; identification of measures to mitigate the impacts of human activity
• Physico-chemical characterization of surface waters and biological characterization of the seabed of marine and coastal areas in the interest of evaluating the impact of maritime works