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16-12-2022

LIFE ECOREST project installs the first of 18 aquariums for the recovery of accidentally caught marine organisms

LIFE ECOREST project, an initiative with the participation of teams from the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences of the Faculty of Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) of the UB, has installed in Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona) the first of a total of 18 aquariums that will be launched over the next year in different confraternities on the Catalan coast for the recovery of accidentally captured organisms , among which there are gorgonians, corals, sponges and other structuring organisms.

Once recovered, they will be returned to the sea thanks to the collaboration of the fishing sector, and several oceanographic campaigns will be carried out to learn about the evolution of the recovered organisms, among other research studies.

The project, which is coordinated by the ICM-CSIC, as partners with the Federation of Fishermen's Brotherhoods of Girona, the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the University of Barcelona and WWF Spain, as well as with the financial contribution of the LIFE Program of the European Union.

The final goal of the project is to restore nearly 30,000 hectares of deep marine habitats in Catalonia. For this reason, the researchers will count on the funds of the LIFE Program of the European Union.

Conference with journalists

The presentation of the first of the installed aquariums took place on the morning of Thursday 15 December at the Vilanova i la Getrú fishermen's confraternity, as part of an event addressed to the media. During the day, project members presented the main advances of the initiative, emphasizing the benefits of marine restoration and marine reserves to regenerate key habitats and species such as corals and gorgonians, which act as architects of the seabed. Likewise, the fundamental role of the fishing sector in this task and in guaranteeing the sustainability of fishing has been underlined.

At the final part of the meeting, some organisms from deep habitats that have been recovered in aquariums have been returned to the sea through the badminton method, a technique by which corals and gorgonians adhere to a rocky substrate that it holds them upright and they are thrown into the sea directly from the boats.

Finally, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), through the Biodiversity Foundation and the National Focal Point of the LIFE program - managed by the Budget Office of the Ministry - has commemorated the 30th anniversary of the LIFE program of the European Union in an event in which the successes achieved were shared. Within the framework of the country, this financial instrument has supported more than 920 projects with an economic contribution of nearly 830 million euros.

Benefits of restoration

Marine restoration accelerates the natural recovery capacity of marine communities, some of which are in poor conservation status after decades of impacts from human activity. More specifically, in the project area, it is estimated that more than 90% of the seabed between 50 and 800 meters deep shows signs of degradation, which makes it difficult to regenerate natural resources. For this reason, until 2026, the program of actions of the LIFE ECOREST project will serve to try to improve the state of conservation of deep marine habitats and demonstrate the effectiveness of participatory management of the fishing sector.

This area is considered a point of great ecological importance due to the high concentration of endangered, threatened or vulnerable species, including corals and gorgonians. Until 2026, the LIFE ECOREST action program will be used to try to improve the state of conservation of deep marine habitats and demonstrate the effectiveness of participatory management of the fishing sector.

In this sense, among other actions, spaces for dialogue will be facilitated and the development of capacities and governance schemes for the main users and managers will be encouraged.