News | 18 June 2024

The ICM-CSIC will help harmonize marine biodiversity monitoring in Europe

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Within this project, the ICM-CSIC coordinates the data flow analysis component in marine biodiversity monitoring associated with the Marine Strategy. 

The project is a fundamental tool to support the European Union's ambitious environmental objectives for 2030 / Xavier Salvador (ICM-CSIC).
The project is a fundamental tool to support the European Union's ambitious environmental objectives for 2030 / Xavier Salvador (ICM-CSIC).

The Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) will assist in harmonizing marine biodiversity monitoring as part of a historic collaboration named Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Harmonisation (MBM). The initiative, led by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre under the umbrella of the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA), aims to harmonize and improve the way marine biodiversity is assessed in Europe. 

Within this project, the ICM-CSIC coordinates the data flow analysis component in marine biodiversity monitoring associated with the European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive. 

According to Vanessa-Sarah Salvo, the project's lead researcher:

"Being part of the MBM represents a unique opportunity to work participatively on solutions to eliminate information gaps related to marine biodiversity monitoring." 

The initiative aims to delve into three specific areas: sampling methodologies for a total of 13 taxonomic groups, some of which are of significant ecological and commercial importance; the analysis of these in terms of efficiency, accuracy, consistency, scalability, adaptability, compatibility, development, and EU requirements; and defining the state of the art of related repositories and databases.

Specifically, the ICM-CSIC staff involved in the project will work intensively in the coming months on developing an integrated and systemic data collection approach, including emerging methodologies such as eDNA or citizen science samplings. 

"We want to better define the data flow, from monitoring to decision-making on the conservation of marine ecosystems," Salvo points out in this regard. According to the researcher, "this task will significantly contribute to shaping policies to ensure that marine biodiversity data are more accurate, reliable, and consistent across Europe."

Working on the future of monitoring

The project's initial activities, which will run until December 2024, took place at the beginning of this June, garnering significant participation. Among them, an online workshop stood out, attended by over 100 experts in marine biodiversity and data science, which aimed to create a dialogue between the scientific community, policymakers, and representatives of regional and international agencies to reach a consensus on the use and accessibility of marine biodiversity databases. 

Also, towards the end of the year, a second workshop on the future of marine biodiversity monitoring in Europe is scheduled to take place in Sitges (Spain) on November 5-7, 2024. On this occasion, the study's coordination teams and experts will meet to formulate concrete solutions for monitoring marine biodiversity associated with the directives. 

According to Esther Garcés (ICM-CSIC), one of the project's coordinators:

"The challenges are significant, but the collaboration and exchange of knowledge among the various partners during the initial workshops were promising. We are laying the groundwork for characterizing the variability of marine habitat diversity and ensuring that this data helps meet regulatory goals." Overall, the project is a fundamental tool to support the ambitious biodiversity and environmental goals of the European Union for 2030, particularly those defined in the mission "Restore Our Oceans and Waters."

The initiative's partners include the consultancy ACTeon (France), Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC, Spain), the Marine Institute of the University of Tartu (Estonia), and the Department of Marine Sciences of the University of Aegean (Greece).