Expertise

We study the biology and ecology of commercial and non-commercial marine species, their communities and ecosystems. We provide fisheries and marine ecosystem modeling solutions to support science-based policies and assess socioeconomic impacts. We identify solutions to improve the performance of sustainable aquaculture and fisheries. We analyze related global environmental changes as well as the effects of human activities on marine organisms and ecosystems. End users of this information include public administrations such as the Generalitat de Catalunya, different ministries of the Spanish government, the European Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as well as international organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

We conduct basic and applied research in physical oceanography, with an emphasis on technological development. We observe and analyze the ocean’s physical environment on spatial and temporal scales and study the role of the ocean in the Earth’s climate. We are a group of physicists, engineers, oceanographers and experts on other disciplines working on various topics aimed at understanding ocean dynamics through fieldwork, theoretical and numerical studies, as well as new data analysis and Earth observation technologies.

We study the biotic component and the functioning of marine ecosystems and in particular their biodiversity using a variety of microscopic, molecular and biogeochemical approaches. We monitor water quality and assess the impact of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on ocean diversity, function and health. We provide science-based biotechnological applications in the fields of food production, bioremediation and human health using marine microorganisms. Our expertise supports decision-makers with competences on water quality and coastal health, such as the Catalan Water Agency, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, and the European Commission.

We study the geological, anthropogenic and meteorological hazards and disasters affecting from the coastline to the abyssal plains. We assess their environmental, economic and social impacts at different scales in line with the objectives of the UN Sendai Framework for Disaster Reduction 2015-2030. We aim to understand the geological and geophysical processes that jeopardize coastal regions, continental margins, and oceanic basins at various spatio–temporal scales, using innovative processes and high-resolution technologies.